Weird Philippine sword/bolo

[Sajen]

Just bought another Philippine sword or bolo. The pictures are not very good but what I can see appealed me so much that I tried the gamble.
Is someone able to tell me by the few better pictures what I buy?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/180809966470...84.m1431.l2649

Regards,

Detlef

[Battara]

I need to double check but I believe it is from Batangas region. Same family as the minisbad.

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by Battara

I need to double check but I believe it is from Batangas region. Same family as the minisbad.

Thank you Jose for the first information! Have checked some older threads by searchword minisbad/minasbad and have seen that the hilt and scabbard style is very similar so that Bicol as origin seems nearby. But I haven't seen one with a similar blade shape.
Now I am very very curious to get more informations about my new toy!

Regards,

Detlef

[ThePepperSkull]

You've got a recently made Bicolano blade. Quality of these made today are about the same except that they now shellac the wood scabbards and the grind marks on the blades are more obvious/apparent on newer ones. I'm guessing yours is recent but not as recent as this, as in post WWII, but pre 1970's. Like Jose said, made in the same region as the Minasbad, but lacks the trademark shape and d-guard to be an actual Minasbad.

Older pieces have iron fittings instead of brass and the carvings are much smoother/rounder rather than angular.

Interesting to note about this piece -- Bicol is located in the southern region of Luzon, almost the Visayas, so blades from this area have an amalgam of features from both regions. The figural hilts and blade shapes typically seen in Visayan blades are a feature used on many Bicolano blades, whereas the blade geometry is more similar to Luzon, in its double-beveled "lenticular" shape rather than the visayan single bevel.

[Sajen]

Hello Dave,

the seller told me that it is a bring-back from WWII but will contact him to get further informations.

Regards,

Detlef

[Sajen]

And here a picture from the back of the sheath where is visible that the fittings are from iron.

[Dimasalang]

Originally Posted by ThePepperSkull

You've got a recently made Bicolano blade. Quality of these made today are about the same except that they now shellac the wood scabbards and the grind marks on the blades are more obvious/apparent on newer ones. I'm guessing yours is recent but not as recent as this, as in post WWII, but pre 1970's. Like Jose said, made in the same region as the Minasbad, but lacks the trademark shape and d-guard to be an actual Minasbad.

Older pieces have iron fittings instead of brass and the carvings are much smoother/rounder rather than angular.

Interesting to note about this piece -- Bicol is located in the southern region of Luzon, almost the Visayas, so blades from this area have an amalgam of features from both regions. The figural hilts and blade shapes typically seen in Visayan blades are a feature used on many Bicolano blades, whereas the blade geometry is more similar to Luzon, in its double-beveled "lenticular" shape rather than the visayan single bevel.

Don't the recent ones have "Philippines" stamped in the blades? Or the scabbard saying Philippines with some special inlays. I see a lot of recent, even WWII blades this way. But I don't know.

[Sajen]

After some research in old threads I come across a picture posted from Zelbone in April 2006. The swords are labeled as Batangas Bolos. These two swords are very very similar in all parts, blade, handle and sheath.
So I hope that Zel see this thread and will be able to tell me/us more to the origin and estimated age.

Regards,

Detlef