Dayak parang ilang Handle

[Mytribalworld]

Originally Posted by Dajak

Hi Arjan can you take a look in leiden about this handle ??

Ben

Hi Ben,
sorry for the late reaction I was very busy making www.thehornbill.com
so I didn't have any time to answer.
The discussion is very interesting.
Leiden has as far as I have seen not a mandauhilt like the one you listed in the beginning of this thread.
what I think is that it is maybe an Iban imitation of a Modang hilt.
the shape is very rare and I don't think you'll find easy another like this.
on the silverwork: I know that the Maloh tribe who produced as well as the brass corsets for the Iban also most of the silverwork.they are likely originated from a mixed race of indigenes and Hindu -Javanese invaders.
This could declare the more ar less "non-Iban" style in the silverwork.
(source: metalworking in Borneo ,V.T King and J.W.Christie)

Arjan.

[Maurice]

Originally Posted by mandaukudi

Leiden has as far as I have seen not a mandauhilt like the one you listed in the beginning of this thread.
what I think is that it is maybe an Iban imitation of a Modang hilt.

Hi Arjan, Michael, Bill and not to forget the starter of this thread: Ben,

In these interesting threads I miss the presence of Ben, who is unfortunately no member anymore of the forum quite a while now allready.

I have found a mandau with a handle with similar shape as the one Ben posted in the beginning of the thread.
It took me more than a year to get it, because the former owner didn't want to let it go. But after a lot of "nagging" I was able to buy it last week.

It has no antler handle and has no silver sleeve as Ben's, but it has the shame shape. Also there is a similarity on the scabbard (the two leeches to the right are also there on mine), and another carving that is not on Ben's, but what is typically Iban.

The blade is also typicall Iban.
So I guess this makes it more likely the one Ben posted is Iban indeed!

I only post an image of the handle for now! (image is from the seller's, I will post better images also of the handle, scabbard and blade after it arrived at my home).

Maurice

[Maurice]

I found a similar wooden handle in the database of: Musée d'ethnographie, Genève:
A big coincidence is also that it is also a left hander, just like mine!