Barung --- Origin?

[Battara]

I would not place this necessarily as a fighting barong, though I do think the pommel could be a later addition. However, the back part is severly broken off and there may have been more originally to it than what we see......


Rick, nice example.....

[Rick]

I've always wanted to re-lime the carvings Jose .
Somehow it wouldn't be right I think .

I think the barung we are discussing had a larger beak and crest .

The way to possibly date that piece may lie in the details of the hilt .
Cato has some theories on dating barungs by hilt carving style in his book Moro Swords .

I've got a feeling this hilt may be 19thC. updated/refurbished in the 20th .

[Battara]

I would tend to agree on the piece in question.

On being a "limey" ( ) I think that would be fine....

Below is my barong which is similar. The inlay is ivory. Notice the tail plume and the beak. I imagine that yours was similar.

[Maurice]

Originally Posted by Battara

Below is my barong which is similar. The inlay is ivory. Notice the tail plume and the beak. I imagine that yours was similar.

That is a lovely piece. I thinks mine could look the same when the owner was not such a fierce fighter and broke of the beak and plume.
Such sort of kakatua also is depicted in the book of Cato page 38. Only I like yours more with those nice dots in the pommel, Jose.

Mine does also has dots, only they are in the middle of the MOP triangles with function of detaching the MOP to the pommel and not for decoration like yours I think.

[kai]

Hello Maurice,

In the MOP you can see dots which probably holds the MOP. I don't know which material they are made of. Some have the colour of the wooden pommel (but more shiny) and other dots looks like MOP.

I'd agree that the wooden pins are for attaching the MOP as well as being decorative...

Noticeably lighter pins would probably be bone, I guess. Repairs?

Regards,
Kai

[Maurice]

Originally Posted by kai

I'd agree that the wooden pins are for attaching the MOP as well as decorative...

Noticeably lighter pins would probably be bone, I guess. Repairs?

Hello Kai,

You are very right about the lighter pins. It is bone cause it is more yellow than the more white MOP-colour......I think the time has come to get me readingglasses.

Originally Posted by Rick

Hi Maurice, that is not woven silver wire; it's cord (for good grip) that seems to have been coated with green lac of some sort .

Hello Rick,

I gave it a better look and I see what you mean. Again as I mentioned before.....readingglasses??

[Maurice]

Originally Posted by Rick

The way to possibly date that piece may lie in the details of the hilt .
Cato has some theories on dating barungs by hilt carving style in his book Moro Swords .

I've got a feeling this hilt may be 19thC. updated/refurbished in the 20th .

Could it be that the barung discussed has a very early use of MOP, or maybe the owner "pimped" his barung up later?
In the MOP you can see dots which probably holds the MOP. I don't know which material they are made of. Some have the colour of the wooden pommel (but more shiny) and other dots looks like MOP.