ID Help Needed

[kai]

Hello Radleigh,

Congrats, that's a really nice one!

Also unusual is the silver-colored "inlay" in the blade. It certainly isn't pamor (its my impression that most Sumba blades are not pamored?) but rather just irregular lines put into the blade, almost as if trying (crudely) to look like pamor.

Actually, that is pamor. This more roughly forged pamor seems to be more common on the "outer" islands, possibly done by tribal bladesmiths. You need to have a lot of skill and experience to do pattern welding under rural conditions but this ain't kraton quality, of course.

There are also fairly deep cracks and fissures at about the 1/3 point, either places where the inlay has fallen out, or some other damage.

I reckon you don't plan to actually use this sword. Thus, that fatal break won't be of much concern.

Weird that the scabbard tips of those latter 2 pieces have 2 holes each (possibly from nails for display purposes? ). And Robert's piece has an even weirder hole...


BTW, I wouldn't be surprised if all 3 West Sumba blades shown here would date to the 19th century - all look like genuine, old pieces. As always, fittings may be younger than the blades but even those overcleaned ones on Robert's piece looks good to me.

Robert, have you considered giving the blade a light etch?

Regards,
Kai

[Robert]

Hello Kai,
Yes I have thought about doing a light etch on the blade but have been waiting until I could get a camera that would be able to take clear pictures of the results. I have just today bought a new camera that I'm hoping will do a nice job of taking close-ups. What would you suggest to be the best way to etch this piece, vinegar or something else? In the photo below the third dancer from the left I think might have the answer to the wierd hole in the tip of the scabbard on my sword. If it is a scabbard that is showing it looks like there might be a tiger bell attached to it at that point.

[kai]

Hello Robert,

Yes, I'd opt for hot vinegar as a first try (first degrease and clean thoroughly with diluted vinegar or pineapple juice).

Tiger bell or other amulets/etc. might be the answer although that's a mighty big hole for attaching a string or two...

Regards,
Kai

[CourseEight]

Thanks so much for your reply Kai! I had no idea that was a kind of pamor, and I appreciate the information a lot. As for the two holes at the base of the scabbard, one of them goes straight through, perpendicular to the plane of the scabbard, but the lower one is a bit angled, and has parallel grooves coming from it. Given Robert's suggestion about the tiger bell hanging from it, the lower hole does look li a cable was to go through it and then was tracked into the grove, so it wouldn't slip. As for the upper hole, could be another bell, could be for hanging.

Its great to hear that the West Sumba sword is older than I thought it was. I'm curious, not to get off track of the West Sumba swords, but how new do you think the others are?

Thanks a lot again, and I can't wait to see what else Utami comes up with!

--Radleigh