A special balato to share
 

Well
I‘m very proud to get this special balato. Total lenght 69,5 cm. The blade will need a very light cleaning. Looks like a raffinated steel or parmor. It was a great luck to get in contact to willem. And I will never sell it. It is the one from picture 31 in the zonneveld.

If somebody likes to get some more pictures, feel free to answer

Best regards Thomas

Nice balato
 

It's a treasure!

Yes Albert and I will keep it as a traesure

Can you please explain to me what is so special about it?

I‘m studying since years the zonneveld. Taking so often a look at this book and to get a piece which is shown in the book it is very special for me. Maybe nobody else will have the same opinion but I do so. There are a lot of pieces in the book, that are in different collection. Maybe there are other collectors who are smiling now, but for me it is a special thing.

Best Thomas

Please do not get offended: I was not being ironic, I am just not into Indonesian/ Philippine things and would like to learn.
Perhaps, Albert may explain to me what are the features that prompted him to call it “a treasure”.

Teeth
 

Especilly the plaited rattan basket with different kinds of large animal teeth/fangs makes this balato very nice.

Hello Thomas,

a very nice balato! I am insanely jealous! :) ;) :D

Hello Ariel,

first, it is a very nice and antique balato. For collectors of Indonesian weapons is the book from Albert like a bible as it is for Moro weapons the book from Cato. There will be a book for your area of collecting as well. I remember that at the forum a member bought once a weapon which was shown by Cato and he was very proud to be the new owner. Similar proud is now Thomas to own a sword (and this is a very good one) which is pictured in Alberts book.
Antique and good balatos like this one are also very expensive so it's for sure a treasure!

Regards,
Detlef

Thanks to all. Now I understand: a sword published in a major book.
Good reason to admire a new addition to personal collection.
Congratulations!

Hello Thomas,

one nice sword you got!
You wrote, that the blade needs a very light cleaning.
Can you show the whole blade to us after the cleaning please?
If you truly mean just a light cleaning, I'm very interested to see the final result. Because after my experiences this blade needs a deep restoration to bring it back to the original appereance.
As far as i can see, the blade seems to be made from pamor steel, so it is worth the effort of a restoration.


Roland

Is the blade a "tiger claw"blade ? I guess so.

I would not overclean this. the hilt has patina, the brass ferrule has patina, the scabbard has patina.
Having a superb new blade will not add much to the appearance imho

Nice teeth on the ball. any close ups ? are they tiger teeth? (the ones on top)

Best regards,
Willem (Not v/d Post :))

Hello Willem,

yes, you're correct! ;)

Regards,
Detlef

Have forgot this pic.

The edge is at the bottom were the „knuckle“ is . The back ist the straight side.

Best Thomas

I think even if you clean the blade, there will still be pitting on the blade, so the blade will never be pristine.

Hi willem.

Don‘t worry. I will not overclean. I‘m no friend of looking „as new“. And I‘m no friend of deep etches. I will just remove the red rust under the black. No grinding and no deep etching on the piece. The grip and all the rest will stay as they are right now.

As following some pics of the tooth. Half of them are wild hog I think. The others ? The biggest of the others is 10 cm long around the curve. My first suggestion was a bear. I have a tooth from an iceage cavebear.

Best Thomas