Indonesian European style 'Falchion' for discussion

[kronckew]

Picked this up at an auction today, more info/pics on arrival.
Appears to be from Tjikoreh (Chikorea, in the modern Indonesian), marking is a bit odd tho. Mis-spelling or alternate spelling "Tjiratiing"? Extensive punched decoration down the fuller.

1902 date. 51 cm. (20 in.) blade. Wood scabbard.


Thanks for your comments...

[Interested Party]

Would this be classified as a Klewang?

[gp]

It is a Tjikeroeh, they come in all sizes …
from dagger, golok, to klewang.
And a variety of spelling as well
See also:

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ight=Tjikeroeh

http://vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=5260

[kronckew]

Originally Posted by Interested Party

Would this be classified as a Klewang?

I'd class it as a klewang, these were made mostly for the dutch colonials/soldiers in the form of the 'familiar' (to them) hirshfanger/Hunting Sword/dagger, rather than the more local forms of klewang.


I called it a falchion as this one is more of a chopper than a stabber like most european hunting swords. I have a couple of them of more normal pointyness , including the ubiquitous Dutch Klewang/Cutlass used by the dutch/germans/americans. (as below) and by the japanese, after shortening the blade, and modifying the guard on a batch they captured.


I'm a sucker for stag antler grips...

[drac2k]

Very nice sword. The scabbard looks like a Maasai sheath without the leather covering; do you think that it is original to the blade?

[Albert]

Most swords of this kind were made in Tjikeroeh (Cikeruh).
Tjpatjing (Cipacing) is an other village on West-Java where this type of sword was made.

[kronckew]

Originally Posted by Albert

Most swords of this kind were made in Tjikeroeh (Cikeruh).
Tjpatjing (Cipacing) is an other village on West-Java where this type of sword was made.

Cool info. i suspected it might be something like that, but couldn't google up that info. Thanks.

[gp]

Originally Posted by drac2k

Very nice sword. The scabbard looks like a Maasai sheath without the leather covering; do you think that it is original to the blade?

these are originals: made for the Dutch military police and also used in Indonesia when it was part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Some were shortened by the Japanese during WW2

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...hlight=klewang

[drac2k]

Sorry if my post wasn't clearer; I was referring to the first picture with the wooden scabbard.

[David]

Originally Posted by gp

these are originals: made for the Dutch military police and also used in Indonesia when it was part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Some were shortened by the Japanese during WW2

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...hlight=klewang

I have always been a bit confused why the Dutch chose to call these swords "Klewang". Obviously the word is original to the Indonesian weapons which really are a very different blade form, though i suppose the Dutch versions saw a lot of the same function as a jungle clearing tool/weapon. But these two types of klewang are shaped differently and weighed differently and i would image required somewhat different techniques to properly wield.