Curious Kris
 

Posting this for posterity and to share this unusual piece. I think I've seen similar pieces but these aren't as common so I thought I'd share. Actually I'm surprised pics of this have not turned up on here yet.

If this is in the hands of anybody reading this, please post more pics of it! As always if anyone has anything to add, please do so!

More pics.

Which region is this "Elephant Trunk" shape typically attributed to? Maguindanao?

Anyone familiar with Okir? The carving style looks unfamiliar to me but admittedly as little my eyes are trained to see the subtleties in blade shapes, they are even less attuned to recognize Okir.

My careful guess is that this kris has a broken tip that is reshaped into a dagger like tip. Still a very nice piece.

A very very very rare Moro Sabre.

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ight=rare+moro

It has been a very long time since I read Cato so I can not rememeber if these are mentioned...anyone care to comment?

Yes this is a kris varient. I agree that the trunk looks like the Maguindanao cross over type but the scabbard looks more Sulu. Not unheard of to do trade between the groups.

I think that this shape was made a purpose rather than reshaped .
The fuller curves up at the point .

I envy the owner .

PERHAPS THE SWORD TIP IS MODELED AFTER THE JAPANESE SWORD POINT.?

EITHER WAY A NICE AND RARE VARIATION OF KRIS. :D

It is visually stunning, isn't it?

Any ideas, theories, or speculations as to what influenced this particular form? I like the above comparison of the asymmetrical profile/grind of the blade tip to the kissaki of a Japanese sword. Similar profiles were also found on swords from Dynastic China and Korea.

Reminds me a bit of a sailor's cutlass . :shrug:

Indeed it does... Now when I stare at it, it's like the kris variant of this:

http://s2.hubimg.com/u/2012693_f260.jpg

Interesting piece :)

When I remember correct there have been a thread before where was shown a kris with the same shape/tip. But can't remember when and where. :shrug:

But did someone have seen before something like this: http://cgi.ebay.de/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?...m=250919366807
The kris was listed at 27.10.11 and ended early at 28.10.11, I was the first bidder but I think that someone did a a deal with the seller. :shrug:

Any comments?

Regards,

Detlef

Sajen-Thanks for posting the link. With another forum member, we have seen and handled one very similar. The one you posted seems to be missing it's pommel. The one we handled had a ivory Kakatua. It was very graceful with a flexy blade. My thoughts are that the one we handled was a captured Euro., blade modified by a Panday (added the elephant trunk, ganya..). This one you posted is the 2nd one I've ever seen.

I'll post the link later, unless someone beats me to it

Hello Kino,

yes, the seller write in his description: "The pommel piece is missing"

Regards,

Detlef

There's a similar piece from the Burke Museum in Seattle. The link to the photo album is here.

An awesome example, thanks for sharing.

Another very interesting transitional form from Holstein's catalogue, twistcore. Perhaps somebody who owns a better copy could post it oncemore?

A quick scan and edit...a little more defined....

MiguelDiaz thanks for posting the photo and the link.

I must be a dull fellow . :o

This went right over my head .....

Just as the picture resolves itself into both a beautiful young woman and an old hag, I see an E. Asian influence in the blade one minute, a European cutlass the next... ;)

Ahhh, finally I see it !
Thank you Ibrahiim .

The sabre kris is very, very high on my short aquisition list. Having handled one, it truely sings in the hand.

More sabre-like pieces:

http://anthro.amnh.org/anthropology/...%2F%201444%20A

http://anthro.amnh.org/anthropology/...70.1%2F%209201

And the "more common" rare form:

http://anthro.amnh.org/anthropology/...70.1%2F%207745

http://anthro.amnh.org/anthropology/...70.1%2F%209197

And one real oddity from 1926, with clearly Terengganu (Malaysia) inspired hilt:

http://anthro.amnh.org/anthropology/...70.1%2F%207761

And one of the most beautiful krisses ever :) :

http://anthro.amnh.org/anthropology/...%2F%208459%20A

Hmmm....the museum dates this last one as "Early 20th Century". Does that date seem a bit off to anyone else? :shrug:

thanks, gustav, for the links! i can see in the pic of the museum catalogue pages (example below) that they have lots of barungs and moro spears. how does one access the pics of those? :)

Hello Migueldiaz, just put "Barong" in the search box (left side):

http://anthro.amnh.org/asia

Hello Gustav. Many thanks!

I'm with you on that. Perhaps more accurately the period when they were collected........ :rolleyes:

Yes thanks Gustav. :)

A rare moro kris sabre was sold in an auction this morning.