Help with Malay Sword I.D.
 

Hello.
I've had this blade for a while and could never quite figure it's exact origin. I've seen similar shapes to the blade and pommel, but every time I run across a similar handle it has a generic Malaysian or Indonesian origin. If so, is it Borneo? Sumatra? Celebes? In the book Traditional Weapons of the Indonesian Archipelago on page 72 the Klewang Tebal Hujong looks similar, but I was hoping to get some input from other forumites on this blade. The overall length of this is 2 feet long.

Best,
Joe :confused:

Hi Joe

It's definately a klewang probably from Sumatra. I had one in my collection it was quite unwieldly and about ten years ago and foolishly sold it. Here is pic of it ;). Btw the one on the bottom I still have :) and it handles like dream very lively and quick in the hand.

Lew,
Thanks a lot for the help on this one. I appreciate it.

Best,
Joe

Hello Joe,

think as well that it is a klewang from Sumatra but this handle form I have seen already by a klewang from Sumbawa.

Attached a picture from this one and from a klewang from Sumatra.

Regards,

Detlef

This one is not from Sumbawa nor from Sumatra.

It's a banjar klewang from South Borneo.
Also the red paint is typical for this region, and original and not painted later on it.

Maurice

Here some images of the one I once had some years ago.

Interesting piece, it shows the typical forging pattern seen in many swords from Suawesi.
Those more learned will be able to explain who influenced who with the manufacture of that pattern within the blade.

Gav

Hi Gav,

This wasn't a dayak weapon.
The Banjar klewang was in use by the Malay/Javanese/Sumatran/etc., who were traders around Banjarmasin and the estuary.
A bit further upriver you find the cultivated Moslim converted dayaks (who mixed up with the Malay/Javanese and other people who lived or wandered in the South, trying to earn a living by trading stuff) , and more further upriver the dayaktribes appear.....
The non-dayaks did the forging of this klewang from Banjar.

Maurice

Pfew, I was already hoping that someone would step in and correct this thread. :D I already searched for other threads on the forum mentioning this malay/borneo style, but could not find them.

Maurice,
I remember that you have old plate(s) with various banjar weapons, or was that once posted by Arjan ? again, tried the search function yesterday but sometimes there are just too many threads on this forum. maybe we should introduce a separate Borneo forum. :D :p

Willem, I think you mean this image from Schwaner.

According Schmeltz it's called a "parang kerekoepang".

Maurice, Asmotif, Sajen, Gav,
Thank you very much for the updates about the blade. The pictures certainly helped. Again thanks for the help.

Best regards,
Joe

BTW Lew, the upper one with painted scabbard is a Sumatran pedang.
The one you still have, the lower one is indeed a klewang from Banjar..

Maurice

That is the plate I meant. with the parang nabur and all the other malay/borneo weapons.

Thanks !

Best regards,
Willem

Maurice

The pictures are reversed the one with the painted scabbard is still with me the other was sold some years back. :(