Sulawesi knife?

[werecow]

At the risk of stating the obvious, it has a lot in common with a kabeala (but with a less extreme grip curvature).

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by werecow

At the risk of stating the obvious, it has a lot in common with a kabeala (but with a less extreme grip curvature).

Thank you for the fast first comment! When I first saw the pictures from the seller I thought myself that it could be a kabeala knife but after closer inspection I am now convinced that it isn't a knife from Sumba but like always I could be wrong.
Attached are two pictures which show the knife in question with a knife from Sumba.

Regards,
Detlef

[Sajen]

See also here: http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ighlight=sumba
I miss by the knife in question: the cut out at the scabbard mouth and the cut out at the blade after the handle.
Also the scabbard carving is rather untypical for Sumba knives.

[JeffS]

I would lean towards Sumba though most of the kabealas I've seen have been monosteel. What makes you think Sulawesi? The scabbard doesn't look like any Toraja examples I've seen.

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by JeffS

I would lean towards Sumba though most of the kabealas I've seen have been monosteel. What makes you think Sulawesi? The scabbard doesn't look like any Toraja examples I've seen.

Hello Jeff,

Like I've written before, at first I thought as well it's a Sumba knife but I got my doubts because the blade doesn't have the typical cut out after the handle as well the scabbard don't show the cut out at the scabbard mouth.
The blade form is typical for Sulawesi alamengs and the carvings at the scabbard are very atypical for Sumba. Handle form is also not typical for Sumba. But I could be wrong.
I don't think that it's of Toraja origin.

Regards,
Detlef

[Sajen]

Blade shape: my sumara, penai and alameng in comparison.

[JeffS]

I see what you mean, the blade profiles are similar, though I'm not sure what features you are describing as cut outs with the kabeala as a differentiater. Could you describe more? The course layering of the blade forging is certainly reminiscent of several of my Sulawesi blades and even though I doubted Toraja origin earlier (noting you had not suggested it), many of they symbols on your scabbard are found on Toraja scabbards and hilts. I've included some examples with similar blade profiles from my collection in case helpful. Of course the top two are penai from Sulawesi and bottom a kabeala from Sumba.They are to scale.