MENDALAM MAUNDAU RECENT AQUISITION
 

Happy as can be with my recently acquired mandau.
The auction house did not have pictures of the blade. So I hoped for a surprise. :) ;)
The blade turns out to be quite simple, but all together I am a happy man with a mendalam type which I did not yet have in my collection. :)
Especially happy with the wooden knot and the side knife which is simple but looks 100% original to this set.

CONGRADULATIONS A NICE LOOKING MANDAU. :)

WHAT FEATURES SET THIS APART FROM OTHER TRIBES IS IT THE CARVING OR THE BLADE SHAPE? OR JUST PROVENANCE.

Hello vandoo,

In this case it is mostly the style of the hilt that makes me think of mendalam.
There are a few threads on this type :
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...light=mendalam

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...light=mendalam

Hi Willem,

congratulations with your beautifull mandau.
A very nicely carved handle, scabbard and belthook!

But......I don't agree with you this is a mandau from the Mendalam dayaks.
I more think it would be from Bahau's living in the area of the upper Mahakam.......

But it would be nice to discuss it with you, as I could be wrong here.
I based my hypothesis on typically Mendalam characteristics that I miss in your mandau....

So.. I vote for Kayan, upper Mahakam.. :)

Vr. groeten,
Maurice

Hi Maurice,

I took the easy way and based my conclusion solely on the characteristic handle shape that can be found in Quer durch Borneo.

Indeed the mandaus that Nieuwenhuis collected in the Mendalam area have much richer decorated scabbards, whereas this mandau has a simple scabbard. (and simple blade :shrug: ;) )
But this could maybe also be due to
1. the fact that Nieuwenhuis spend a lot of money on the mandau's that he collected. This mandau more looks like a vet bring back or maybe a gift.
2. Nieuwenhuis collected them around 1910, my mandau will probably be of a later date. (maybe 1930's :confused: )

I know that you have spent much more time in books and museumcollection than I so, would love to hear why this is not Mendalam.

Best regards,
Willem

Yes I know what you mean. But the Bahaus at the Mahakam had the same shape sometimes, for example in the image of Nieuwenhuis Quer durch Borneo I attached.



You could be right. Nieuwenhuis spent a lot of money on the mandaus but don't forget he also got a lot as gifts, as he was a doctor and helped a lot of sick men, women and children from their ailments when possible....

About the scabbard. Somehow it doesn't feel Mendalam to me, but upper Mahakam. This besides of the carving, also because of the ratan knots that holds the two slabs of wood together.
When you look at Mendalam scabbards the ratan often are worked out of site beneath the upper slab of wood, instead of ratan knots which cover the upper wooden slab of the scabbard...

I'm not sure about the age of your mandau. It could be early 1900's and might be early collected?



Well I did and I planned to spend a lot of time in it in future. But sometimes I'm stucked in time for my work and my family obligations....as we probably all have these unnecessary necessities which keep us away to our achievements considering our passion/hobby.. :)

The points I carried out makes me think it's not Mahakam, but again it could be an erroneous answer from a Borneo/mandau scholar... ;)

Goregeous mandau. I love the simplicity combined with nice scabbard carving and wooden "knot".

I am even more fascinated with the distinctions in classification that to more of a novice with mandaus will look 'minor'.

Perhaps a thread should be started illustrating mandau hilt types and their unique distinctions??!!

What a great notion! :) :cool: Maybe we all can learn a little bit from the knowledge members!

Regards,

Detlef