A puzzle or not ?
 

Hi
I got this piece today. Is it a puzzle made from different cultures ? The bladestyle is a little bit of tenegre but not so wide. The Grip Batak ? The guard looks like the style of my penai. Maybe just a working tool and somebody put pieces together to get a machete. Every information will be very welcome.

Best Thomas

Hi THomas.

I agree with you--this is a mixed cultural item. The blade and guard are from a Visayan tenegre. The guard is old, late 19th/early 20th C perhaps. Is it made from horn or wood? The scabbard and hilt are not Visayan and I'm not sure where they are from. Might well be Batak.

Interesting piece.

Ian

The guard seems to be made of horn.

Thanks Ian

I agree with Ian.

I wonder if the blade and guard together were traded to Indonesia (where Batak live and work with brass/bronze). Lots of trade in the region between the islands of Indonesia and the Philippines.

Hi Thomas,

Agree with Ian and Jose, blade (or what is left from it), guard and scabbard are from a Visayan Tenegre. Hilt is not Batak for sure. I guess that it's a composition from a former collector or seller.
I was interested only for the guard since a similar one from one of my tenegre is broken but the auction went far to high only for a guard. :mad:

Regards,
Detlef