Igorot/Bontok Shield

[Robert]

Just lucked out and found this sleeper on epray for a very nice price. A nice Igorot/Bontoc shield that looks to be in decent shape for a change. It measures 34" in length and is 13" wide. As this is my first shield purchase any and all help with the age of this piece and information on it would be greatly appreciated. These are the photos from the auction, not the best but will give an idea of condition.


Best Robert

[estcrh]

Originally Posted by Robert

Just lucked out and found this sleeper on epray for a very nice price. A nice Igorot/Bontoc shield that looks to be in decent shape for a change. It measures 34" in length and is 13" wide. As this is my first shield purchase any and all help with the age of this piece and information on it would be greatly appreciated. These are the photos from the auction, not the best but will give an idea of condition.


Best Robert

Robert, here is one to compare.

[Robert]

Great photo Estcrh, thank you for posting it for comparison. Except for the extra carving in the two cutout on the top of the shield and that mine has two rows of rattan bindings top and bottom instead of one the two are very similar. On the inside of my example (the fifth photo) there is a piece of wood lashed in place, can anyone tell me its purpose? Being carved the way it is it looks like it might have had more of a purpose than just that of being a reinforcement. Also, could the damage (sixth and seventh photos) on the upper right outer edge have been caused by being struck repeatedly during dance ceremonies?

[Nonoy Tan]

there is a piece of wood lashed in place, can anyone tell me its purpose? Being carved the way it is it looks like it might have had more of a purpose than just that of being a reinforcement.

Hi Robert,

Likely that was used to stabilize a spear when held with the same hand as the shield.

Nonoy

[Sajen]

Hello Robert,

very nice old Bontoc shield with good signs of use. Here a informative link about this shields: http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...=bontoc+shield

Regards,
Detlef

[Robert]

Nonoy, Thank you for helping identify what the wooden piece was used for. I have posted a photo (borrowed from Detlef) that I think shows how it would be useful for the purpose that you suggested.

Detlef, I had just finished reading the post that you kindly posted the link to here and as you say, it is very informative. I hope that you do not mind my using the photo you posted there here as an example.

Can anyone tell me if there are any indicators present on my example that might help point to its possible age and what they are?

[Nonoy Tan]

I was wondering if the use of olive or linseed oil on wood is a recommended practice by conservationists in museums.

[Shakethetrees]

I don't have any experience with olive oil, but the research done some years back and read to the Ameircan Institute for Conservation (conservation-us.com) showed that linseed oil, in time, blackens wood irreversibly.

It leaves a great finish on gunstocks, but in time it degrades and damages the surface.

On ethnographic materials I would not use any oils. A light wax, if anything. Renaissance Wax has been the go-to for museums world wide for decades and has proven to be the most benign and is easily removable.

[drac2k]

Based upon my own experience of 20 years of using this combination of boiled linseed oil and lemon oil extract, I have not found that to be the case . I have even used it on old furniture to revitalize the wood, however what might be pleasing to me, might not be to someone else, so this is only a suggestion and a small test area should be applied first to determine if it has the desired result you crave.

[Nonoy Tan]

I don't have any experience with olive oil, but the research done some years back and read to the Ameircan Institute for Conservation (conservation-us.com) showed that linseed oil, in time, blackens wood irreversibly.

It leaves a great finish on gunstocks, but in time it degrades and damages the surface.

On ethnographic materials I would not use any oils. A light wax, if anything. Renaissance Wax has been the go-to for museums world wide for decades and has proven to be the most benign and is easily removable.

I prefer not to use any substance that is irreversible. My shields will likely outlive me and so my personal preference on their appearance (for the purpose of display) does not affect my decision on matters of conservation.

[Shakethetrees]

Originally Posted by drac2k

Based upon my own experience of 20 years of using this combination of boiled linseed oil and lemon oil extract, I have not found that to be the case . I have even used it on old furniture to revitalize the wood, however what might be pleasing to me, might not be to someone else, so this is only a suggestion and a small test area should be applied first to determine if it has the desired result you crave.

The effects of this blackening might not be noticeable for eighty to a hundred years later. Linseed oil does put a great finish on wood, or else we would not be having this discussion.

What I am addressing here is something that falls into the "unintended consequences" category. Well meaning work, but nature, in the long run, not cooperating. I'm no chemist, but, we all know that organic substances do not remain stable over time, and that's the rub here. There's even a good quality petroleum based grease that was the gold standard for gun storage for years that, when applied following the directions, in about two or three years, will turn a brightly polished steel or iron surface a mottled grey! Once it reaches this stage, it appears to be stable, but, then again, in another twenty years, who knows? It changed once, why not again, but not in a way that one would be happy with.

I will look for this article, but since it was over twenty years ago, a lot of water has gone under the bridge, and we may be out of luck.

[Sajen]

I use linseed oil for wooden and also horn hilts and scabbards of my ethnograhic weapons even for the nice finish (yes, it make the wood/horn darker, see the different here: http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ighlight=luzon) and to oil the parts to prevent cracks and don't let become the oiled parts to dry. I don't see any risk by this, think about that many our weapons coming from very hot parts of the world. When a native has taken his weapon in hand he will oil it with his own sweat and remaining oil from food he has eaten before so all sorts of natural oil feeding the wood/horn or also ivory over decades and give it the so demanded patina. So why should linseed oil wrong for this parts?
But frankly said I never have oiled one of my shields.

Regards,
Detlef