Significance of blacksmith marks/tang stamps on Philippines swords

[Ian]

Here is another mark that might be of interest. The identical single letter "P" appears on two of these knives from Laguna. The two with the mark have the same brass ferrules also. Highly likely that these two were made by the same panday. The scabbards have minor differences and are not identical.


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[drac2k]

Nice Knives. What is the age range of those?

[Rick]

Here's one that I sold to Xas..
You can't read it too easily from this photo, but it is JC

[Ian]

Originally Posted by Rick

Here's one that I sold to Xas..
You can't read it too easily from this photo, but it is JC

Hi Rick. The JC mark is an old one from Batangas. It stands for Jesu Cristo (Jesus Christ). That knife is probably early 20th C. Xas has a nice sinampolok sword from circa 1900 with the same mark that he bought from me.

[drac2k]

Thanks for the info Ian; even though the blades looked early, I wasn't aware that the sword smiths signed their work prior to WW2. A very useful revelation.

[Ian]

Originally Posted by drac2k

Nice Knives. What is the age range of those?

Hi Drac. I would say pre-WWII. You can see very similar knives and sheaths on this old stereoscopic picture that likely dates from the 1920s or thereabouts. The strong guy husking the coconut is wearing a sheath similar to the ones shown in my pics.

I'm told by Xasterix that the style of these knives had fallen out of favor somewhat and that Laguna panday today are looking to rediscover old styles and methods.


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