Hi Robert,
Unbelievable, where did the seller ever get the idea these were Masonic??!!!
I guess it is inevitable that I bring up the now legendary 'Shaver Kool' thread, which ran for five years (2000-2005) and I think even ended up with a thread on 'another' forum titled 'Batavia Kool'. It had to do with what appeared to be an ivory hilt eagle or gryphon head pommel, the VOC mark, and a ship with the words SHAVER KOOL. This seemed to be a 19th century commemorative sword.
It was discovered that the Dutch naval swords would have had lionheads, according to Jan Piet Puype of the Legermuseum at Delft, Netherlands, there was a M1880 naval sword of such type I believe. These swords, and there seem to have been a number found, and it was suggested that the 'eagle' head may have been a garuda head since these were produced in Indonesia.
The Dutch navy apparantly had these issued as a sword of honor or 'pedang keharmatan', if my recollections are correct.
The VOC stamp on these is of course interpretative, and did not occur authentically on the forte, but in the blade center I believe. The stamp was only permitted by the best producers, and while a few examples are recorded of 17th century, they were not well known until 18th. The VOC was officially dissolved in 1800, superceded by Bataviaasche Genootschap, though the VOC stamp, much in the tradition of the markings on European trade blades, survived spuriously as a quality associated stamp.
These are likely Indonesian examples of ceremonial swords recalling these Dutch naval swords, with it seems an unusual klewang? type blade...the Indonesian experts here will undoubtedly clarify.
Best regards,
Jim
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