A MOST INTERESTING KAMPILIAN! IT APPEARS TO ME THAT IT MAY HAVE BEEN DAMMAGED A LITTLE BUT THAT THERE IS NOT A LARGE PIECE OF THE HANDLE MISSING. I GET THAT FEELING FROM THE OVERALL SHAPE OF THE POMMEL AND THE COMPLETE CARVING ON THE SIDES IN THE CENTER. WERE THERE HOLES IN THE TOP OF THE HANDLE FOR PLACEING HAIR TUFTS AND ARE BOTH SIDES CARVED WITH THE SAME DESIGN.?
THE DECORATION IS NOT TYPICAL OF PHILIPPINE OR DAYAK TRIBES SO FAR AS I CAN TELL. IT LOOKS MORE LIKE SOMETHING FOUND IN THE ISLANDS OFF MALAYSIA OR INDONESIA. WHAT IS IT CONSTRUCTED OF, TWO LEATHER OR WOODEN DISKS WITH THE FIBER AND HAIR ATTACHED IN BETWEEN? WHAT KIND OF HAIR WAS USED? IF HUMAN IT COULD BE A TROPHY ,IF ANIMAL IT IS MOST LIKELY DECORATIVE. THE KAMPILIAN WAS SURELY MORE WIDESPREAD THAN JUST THE PHILIPPINES OR BORNEO ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING THE SEAFARING BOTH COUNTRYS DID. I WILL TRY AND LOOK THRU MY BOOKS WHEN I GET THE CHANCE AS I REMEMBER SEEING SIMULAR THINGS IN OLD CATALOGS OVER THE YEARS. NICE ONE WISH IT WAS MINE, BUT THEN I LIKE ALL THINGS KAMPILIAN
