Ethnographic Arms & Armour
 

Go Back   Ethnographic Arms & Armour > Discussion Forums > Ethnographic Weapons

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
Old 4th March 2005, 07:53 AM   #1
Conogre
Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Clearwater, Florida
Posts: 371
Default CAUTION!!! Irianjaya "mandaus" are back

This is for new members who might be interested in Indonesian, Borneo or Headhunter spears, shields and swords.....use caution on pieces that you aren't familiar with, more than ever!!!
Every so often swords, spears and shields from Irianjaya appear, always made very distinctive by the bright brown and yellow scalloped pattern painted on the sheaths, sheilds or spear shafts and liberally adorned with teeth, beads and feathers hanging from them in large numbers.
If you like the look and want a known tourist item for your collection, they are definitely attention getters, but some sellers invariably offer them as bona fide artifacts, usually from Borneo, but also from every other jungle country in the world and often at VERY high prices.
While "let the buyer beware" is always sound advice, in the case of these that should be taken quadrupley.
I was hoping I had some old photos of various ones that I've sold at low prices, but alas, they're all gone. ( hint)
Oh...the technology has advanced to the point that now many of the carved bone or horn hilts are actually plastic treated to look like bone, and likewise the "teeth" are also now commonly cast plastic, and even with some of the blades made of aluminum or pot metal, something that may not show in a photo.
One last word of caution....I sold one and was awakened by a telephone call in the middle of the night from the California postal authorities who wanted permission to open the package.....it seems that at least some of the native twine used to tie on the teeth, beads and feathers is hemp, and although it's legal, it still sets off the drug dogs!!!!
Mike
Conogre is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 4th March 2005, 04:58 PM   #2
Ian
Vikingsword Staff
 
Ian's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: The Aussie Bush
Posts: 4,006
Default Contemporary mandau -- caveat emptor

A couple of years ago, on the old Forum (http://www.vikingsword.com/ubb/Forum1/HTML/000680.html), we talked about the appearance of increasing numbers of mandau in painted scabbards with hair and teeth ornaments. The blades on these were uniformly poor and the hilts were often bone or wood. We had a firm ID for these swords as coming from Irian Jiya (the Indonesian portion of New Guinea) and made for the tourist trade.

Talking recently with Conogre, we were surprised and concerned to see some of these inferior pieces being touted as antiques, with asking prices in the $200-500 range. I thought I would repost some of the pictures from that earlier discussion, just to alert the unknowing buyer that these are not genuine Dayak articles and that claims for them being "antiques" are exaggerated -- as far as we know, these are of post-WWII manufacture (mostly during the last 20 years). Caveat emptor!!!

These are a pair that I have had for several years.
Attached Images
   

Last edited by Ian; 4th March 2005 at 11:18 PM.
Ian is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 4th March 2005, 07:36 PM   #3
Andrew
Member
 
Andrew's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: USA
Posts: 1,725
Default

Thanks for the public service announcement, guys. I've merged your threads for housekeeping purposes.
Andrew is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 4th March 2005, 10:43 PM   #4
Conogre
Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Clearwater, Florida
Posts: 371
Default

Thank you Andrew and Ian.
The spears and shields all have the same identical painted pattern and hanging decortions.
Conogre is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 4th March 2005, 11:17 PM   #5
Ian
Vikingsword Staff
 
Ian's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: The Aussie Bush
Posts: 4,006
Default

Thanks Andrew.

I posted my comments after Mike had put his up, and of course I did not look to see if he had posted something first.

Thanks for merging our common concerns.

Ian.
Ian is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 19th August 2007, 03:51 PM   #6
katana
Member
 
katana's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Kent
Posts: 2,653
Default

Is this the type you mean.....just finished on eBay

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...MEWA:IT&ih=012
Attached Images
    
katana is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 19th August 2007, 05:48 PM   #7
CourseEight
Member
 
CourseEight's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Coral Springs, FL
Posts: 222
Default

I'll add to the PSA! Here are mine, bought when I knew even less than I do now. Luckily my income limits the extent of my monetary misakes (set < $100, whew!). My "mandau" even has some brass dots and some crude designs on the blade, so don't let that fool you...
Attached Images
   
CourseEight is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 20th August 2007, 08:10 PM   #8
Battara
EAAF Staff
 
Battara's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Louisville, KY
Posts: 7,135
Default

BLEHHHHHH!
Battara is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 02:21 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Posts are regarded as being copyrighted by their authors and the act of posting material is deemed to be a granting of an irrevocable nonexclusive license for display here.