tanaruz

Hello,

This is a kris purchased last year from a local bladesmith in Southern Palawan.(purchased without its original scabbard. The featured scabbard was made by a bladesmith in Southern Palawan). At first glance, my thoughts would be that this is a Maranao kris. Or is it?

The OAL length of the kris is merely 21.25 inches with a 16-inch blade. Quite small, IMHO.

But, if this piece is indeed of Maranao origin, how did it travel all the way to southern palawan where the moros there are mostly tausugs and samals? Would it be alright for a tausug/samal to carry a maranao kris?

The hilt and budbud design really, to me is Maranao. But what about the 'triangle' designs on the hilt? what might be the significance of this design?

The pommel is hardwood material.

Hope you can shed some insights on this piece.

Thank you in advance,

Yves

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xasterix

The hilt, and also possibly the blade, was made in Tugaya. The hilt is for display purpose, and non - functional for true wielding. I'm not sure if the blade is heat treated. The whole assembly isn't that old.

Rick

Honestly; it looks like something made for sale to 'those who travel for pleasure' and a rather poor example of such an object to boot.

Ian

Hi Yves,

Your kris is definitely a modern Maranao style which can be traced back to at least the 1990s, perhaps a little earlier. Some of these small-bladed kris can be decorated in an expensive manner with silver, and even gold on one piece I have handled, but the vast majority have more base metals. The blades appear to have been forged but not tempered in my experience. There are longer versions also, that sometimes appear to have better quality blades.

How it ended up in Palawan is anybody's guess.

Ian

Rafngard

I am far from an expert, but my first impression is definitely that this is recent, made in Tugaya, and made for those who travel.

Have fun,
Leif

tanaruz

Hello,

Many thanks for the info. Appreciate it.

There's a bit of a story (unverified) behind this piece (that's why it caught our attention and now it's in our collection).

This exact piece was used by one of 2 warring moros in Southern Palawan. The holder of this piece came out alive. I would not go into the gory details as was shared to me.

The blade, as expected, did what is expected of it.

Yves

xasterix

Interesting story. Unfortunately such stories are usually embellished in order to romanticize or add a provenance of sorts to the piece.

If it's true, and if the kris was used in the battle, then it's impressive that it managed to perform despite its design-only purpose.

tanaruz

Hello,

Need your opinion/s on this ivory piece. Planning to incorporate it with an old barung blade that has no hilt/pommel.

This, will be the pommel part.

Seller made mentioned that this is a sperm whale tooth is ivory. Been searching for reference reading materials and in my opinion, it is (but since I'm no expert in this, I'm not sure).

There are traits I've read on ivory:

a) "feels" smooth to the touch
b) has parallel grain (like rings in a tree or crosshatched pattern called Schreger lines).

This lovely piece originally was collected in Tawi-Tawi.

Thanks in advance for your inputs,

Yves

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