barong comments on ended auction
 

What do you all think of this barong?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...DME:L:RTQ:US:1

Judging shape I was guessing 19th C. Seller said blade was not laminated. So that set up a conflict. The pictures did not tell much of a tale either. Good enough to get me interested, but not good enough to really show anything. I wasn't sure of the scabbard. I tend to be cautious about stuff coming out of the Philippines. What do you think?

I say this is more recent post WW2 the hilt just does not look 19th century to me.

Lew

There ia a lot of new stuff coming out off the Asian islands most off the real
old stuff was already taken out off the country long time ago
there is still real stuff overthere but not for cheap bargains

regards , Ben

Hard to say ...
 

mross:

Impossible to assess the blade for lamination from the pictures provided. It appears to have a coat of varnish over most of it. The leaf-shaped blade may be quite old, possibly late 19th C., but the kakatua hilt looks more recent. If Cato is to be believed, the flat scabbard could be late 19th or early 20th C. but I would not bet on it.

Possibly an old barung blade and scabbard with more recent hilt, but the pictures are too poor to really judge this one.


Ian.

That was my reason for being wary of stuff from the Philippines. And one of my reasons for not bidding, even if the price was tempting.

I asked the seller he said not laminated. However, he may not know as his dealings seem to be in records and such. But I gave him the benefit of the doubt and believed him. The blade shape is what originally caught my eye. It seems classic 19th C. The hilt I must admit I am clueless on. I could not judge on it, so I did what any clueless indvidual does, I ignored it. :o The scabbard just did not seem right to me. I can't explain that one. Anyway thanks for the education, I love this place. From what I saw and am reading this my be FrankenBarong.