unknown klewang;identification help please
 

I just picked up this unusual sword with a group of other exotic weapons and I'm not sure what to make of this one.It has a very heavy, sharp cleaver like blade approx. 23" and a thickness of 5/16" @ the base.The handle looks to be horn, with a brass guard.The scabbard is has sheet silver foil over it with sections missing as shown.
Any comments would be appreciated.

Hello Drac2k,

very nice piece, have to look tomorrow again but it's surely from Sumatra. Handle could be rhino horn, please post close ups.

Regards,

Detlef

Thanks, the handle does have that look.

Congratulations!

This is an extremely rare find.

It is from south Sumatra. Usually it has more silver fittings on the hilt than yours (bands, nose, and sometimes an eye - see reference pictures).
Yours is the first "naked version" I have seen (unless you find traces from silver fittings on the hilt?).

Here is the only picture I know of it when carried.
It shows a chief from the region of Rawas, but the picture was taken in Palembang.

Michael

See also: http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=13812

Thanks for the great information ! Some of the silver inlay is missing from the scabbard and based on how thin the silver ferrule fitting is, I believe that there could have been more silver on the handle, that could have fallen off or been removed.
I thought that this could have been a European blade, refashioned into this native form;I even think I see a crown on the blade, which I tried to photographed (if one stares long enough at a blade, they can imagine all sort of things).Based on the heaviness of the blade, if it is European, I would guess it to be 18 th century.
Regards,
David

Hello Michael,

two beautiful examples you have there. Good that you comment, my guess of origin would have been Palembang but now I remember that these swords are from Bengkulu.
What do you think, could the handle from the one in question from rhino horn?

Regards,

Detlef

Congratulations and a cheap buy too.

About the hilt, it is bovine, not Rhino, this is clearly shown in the images above, especially at the top side of the pommel area.

Gavin

Bovine it is then. How did you know it was a cheap buy(even though it was)!You guys ran me away from ebay(almost),outbidding me on sundangs and such and now you've followed me to other sites............okay, how are you tracking my computer ;John Snowden has got nothing on you!
On a more serious note, I got this sword and 21 other pieces @ an auction I discovered 15 min., before it started;most of them great pieces(there were a couple of dogs in there), for very little money.I'm kicking myself for not buying more, however the pictures weren't great and the lots went very fast! some were European swords,but 7 or 8 were ethnographic and I'll get my wife to do a group picture to share with the forum.
David