[Ian]

Thanks Detlef. Those two examples you show do look 19th C in origin. I had a similar one that I sold a while back. I may still have pictures. BTW, I think I see evidence of brazing between the ferrule and guard on your two as well, although they could be silver soldered.

As for the luk, it depends how you count them. As Alan Maisey points out in relation to keris, if you include the "false" luk at the beginning and end of the blade, then there are 11 (which is the Islamic way of counting luk in regard to the keris). The traditional count would be 9. I don't know how the Moro count the waves in their blades, but in some cases they do not follow the usual maximum of 11 luk with regard to their kris.

Pictures attached of my knife with a similar hilt but a straight blade. The wooden sheath is likely a 20th C replacement.


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