Show us your bankung

[DaveS]

Here for viewing is a moro banking. This is the only one I have ever run across in years of collecting moro stuff. according to Cato it is one of the rarest of the moro swords. 20 inch laminated blade with a wood handle and cockatoo pommel. Does anyone own a bankung that they could post some pictures here?.........Dave.

[Robert]

Hello Dave, Very nice bankung. This is the first one that I think I have ever seen with a cockatoo pommel. As I am still looking for one of these to add to my own collection unfortunately I have no photos to share. I know others here on the forum have posted theirs in the past so I too am looking forward to see how many of those as well as new ones will get posted here. My congratulations to you on acquiring this very interesting example.

Best,
Robert

P.S.
Where do you keep coming up with all these new toys from.

[DaveS]

Originally Posted by Robert

Hello Dave, Very nice bankung. This is the first one that I think I have ever seen with a cockatoo pommel. As I am still looking for one of these to add to my own collection unfortunately I have no photos to share. I know others here on the forum have posted theirs in the past so I too am looking forward to see how many of those as well as new ones will get posted here. My congratulations to you on acquiring this very interesting example.

Best,
Robert

P.S.
Where do you keep coming up with all these new toys from.

Robert: Almost all these toys are "old" ones. Iv'e not bought anything new for a couple of years. I think the last thing I bought was off of ebay from Rsword, a nice moro kris..........Dave.

[Nonoy Tan]

Here is a specimen.
[IMG]

[kai]

Hello Nonoy,

Yup, this sold recently: Good blade and a cracked hilt that can probably be fixed with some care.

BTW, am I the only one to believe this basket scabbard is a later non-Moro replacement? All other scabbard examples I saw were typical Sulu or Palawan types.

Regards,
Kai

[kai]

Hello Dave,

20 inch laminated blade with a wood handle and cockatoo pommel.

Thanks for posting yours - this is certainly special! The slim blade profile is quite unique!


I'm attaching a pic of my bangkung and hope others will do, too.

Regards,
Kai

[DaveS]

Originally Posted by kai

Hello Dave,


Thanks for posting yours - this is certainly special! The slim blade profile is quite unique!


I'm attaching a pic of my bangkung and hope others will do, too.

Regards,
Kai

Hello Kai: Very nice bankung. Looks like it has a short sharpened back edge. Both bankungs that have been posted have basically what could be considered as a horse-hoof style pommel. Besides mine, the only other cockatoo type is the one in Catos book. I don't know if that one was his or not. Apparently, cockatoo style seems to less common........Dave.

[kino]

Here's mine. I've posted this awhile back.
OAL 22.5 in. Blade 16"

I know where Kai's Bankung is hiding!

[DaveS]

Originally Posted by kino

Here's mine. I've posted this awhile back.
OAL 22.5 in. Blade 16"

I know where Kai's Bankung is hiding!

Hey Albert: Another nice bankung They seem to be coming out of the woodwork. This one has the same style pommel as the ivory one that you got a while back. Apparently, there seems to be no real set handle type for this kind of sword............Dave.

[Nonoy Tan]

Hi Kai,

I am not familiar with the origin of the scabbard, but assume that it was likely not rare nor special at that time. This "bangkung" was likely a farm or chopping tool and perhaps did not need an elaborate scabbard in the first place.

I am not sure if it would be appropriate to classify the scabbard as "moro" or "non-moro."

Here is a photo from Krieger's 1926 work. The basketry on the left is attributed to Basilan of the Sulu Archipelago.

Nonoy

[VANDOO]

BANGKUNG IS IT A MORO SWORD THAT INFLUENCED THE BAGOBO/TIBOLI SWORDS OR THE OTHER WAY AROUND. THE BLADE FORM IS VERY SIMULAR ON MANY EXAMPLES. HERE ARE PICTURES OF SEVERAL VARIATIONS, TWO EVEN HAVE A CROOKED BLADE WITH BASIC BANKUNG FORM, IS THERE A NAME FOR THIS SWORD? PICTURES
#1.,#2. & #3. A LONG BANGKUNG MANTERIS HAD. IT WAS AT LEAST 25IN. LONG. AND HAD GOOD PATINA AND WAS IN PERFECT SHAPE.
#4., #5., #6, & #7. SAID TO BE PALAWAN, TAQBANUA TRIBE
#8. & #9. TWO EXAMPLES OF THE UNUSUAL BENT BLADED SWORD.
#10. BAGOBO/ TIBOLI SWORDS, WITH BANGKUNG LIKE BLADES.

[imas560]

Hello all,
Here's mine.
OAL 27.5"/700mm

[CharlesS]

Here are my examples. Technically the top example is NOT a bangkung, but certainly serves the same function. That shorter one is surprisingly heavier than either of the larger examples shown.

The scabbards on the top and middle one are new.

[CharlesS]

Kino,

I think your example is, from top to bottom, the finest example I have seen of a bangkung. The lovely blade, along with the extraordinary hilt and pommel make it quite a fine piece.

The thickened reinforcement at the forte reminds me of many Indonesian klewang styles I have seen. Wonder if there has to be some influence there?

[DaveA]

Originally Posted by CharlesS

Here are my examples. Technically the top example is NOT a bangkung, but certainly serves the same function. That shorter one is surprisingly heavier than either of the larger examples shown.

The scabbards on the top and middle one are new.

Charles, if the top example is emphatically not a bangkung, what is it? Here is one I acquired today, identified by the seller as a "banyal". There is strong resemblance in blade and scabbard, although your hilt is much nicer.

- Dave A.

[Ian]

Here are two of mine. The top one is a small bangkung, similar to the one posted by kino, in a mid-20th C. scabbard.

The second one is larger and was exhibited in the Macau Museum of Art's "History of Steel Exhibition" in 2006.

Ian.

[Hefezola]

Sharing mine

[CharlesS]

Originally Posted by Nonoy Tan

Hi Kai,

I am not familiar with the origin of the scabbard, but assume that it was likely not rare nor special at that time. This "bangkung" was likely a farm or chopping tool and perhaps did not need an elaborate scabbard in the first place.

I am not sure if it would be appropriate to classify the scabbard as "moro" or "non-moro."

Here is a photo from Krieger's 1926 work. The basketry on the left is attributed to Basilan of the Sulu Archipelago.

Nonoy

Nonoy,

The fact the Krieger is specific enough to call these "bolo" cases at least makes it a strong possibility that your example's blade and scabbard were, even if not born together(and they may have been), at least likely together for a very long time.

If only he had included an example of a "bolo" with them it would really give us a more decisive answer.

[cicak_cobing]

i never knew that there was a moro version of bangkung..
it's good to learn new stuff..

[VVV]

Nice to see all the variations of the Bangkung in one place.
Perhaps the last one, without a scabbard, once was as nice as Kino's?

Michael

[Sajen]

Some very nice bankung, thank's to all for showing!