Go on... show us your Barung!!!

Spunjer · 21st January 2012, 08:49 PM

i thought Andy Stevens thread regarding choora was most excellent, so i decided to create this one, in honor of the Barung. it would be fun to see the different barungs from everyone's collection. as we know, the variance between barungs are subtle, compared to the kris, but each one is individually unique and an art to its own. so here's a few from last year's family picture. the gasahs were added as props...
A) warrior's barung, with an unusual, fully intact carabao's horn ferrule
B) shandigan blade, with bold pile lamination pattern
C) from the Sama people, with a zulfikar engraved close to the handle
D) my first junggayan pommeled barung
E) kamagong with ivory inlays datu barung
F) big, chunky ivory hilted with gold ferrule barung
G) most excellent carved junggayan hilt with naga inlays on the blade
H) a junggayan handle barung, very chunky in design with shorter than usual ferrule compensated with a longer than average blade
I) chased ferruled barung with double edged blade
J) my very first barung, just an every day variation
K) an older piece, with a chopmark stamp on the blade
L) a real thick shandigan blade, with an unusual handle design

A.alnakkas · 21st January 2012, 09:16 PM

Wow very beautiful mate! Too bad I have non to share :-)

Battara · 21st January 2012, 11:19 PM

Ah what the heck! I don't have as many but I have 3:

top: fossil mastodon pommel and silver sleeve

middle: ivory pommel with silver sleeve and swassa ferrule

bottom: wood with ivory inlay pommel, silver braided and chased, brass sleeve

Stan S. · 22nd January 2012, 01:06 AM

Wow! Just wow!

paolo · 22nd January 2012, 12:53 PM

I have only two. The first is Sulu, the second one was brought at the battle of Bud Dajo.
Paolo

ariel · 22nd January 2012, 03:28 PM

I always thought that handles with the carved box-like "beak" of the kakatua pommel appeared in the 1930s. At least, that's what I read here from the Moro gurus. If so, the inscription dated 1907 might be a little suspect. Am I totally wrong?

Royston · 23rd January 2012, 10:29 AM

Three simple ones. Old photos, they are much cleaner now.

Roy

Loedjoe · 23rd January 2012, 03:11 PM

Here are a few more. (Sajen - 'simple' barung are just as beautiful)

Sajen · 23rd January 2012, 04:59 PM

OMG, so beautiful examples, thank you all for sharing. Loedjoe thank you for your kind words!

Here pictures from the lamination of my bigger barong.

Spunjer · 24th January 2012, 02:32 AM

wow, excellent barungs! loedjoe, welcome to the forum, and thanks for posting your pieces. you should post more often

sajen, that's one heck of a lamination you got!!!

please keep it coming, guys!!!

Ferguson · 25th January 2012, 02:08 AM

I only have one nice one.
Steve

trenchwarfare · 27th January 2012, 03:58 AM

Awesome blades guys. Does this one count?

Only "Barung", I have. Could have been done by a native, or GI. Or could've been done by a Japanese. They were on some of the islands for so long, some of them, "Went native".

Rick · 27th January 2012, 04:15 AM

Nice temper line .

ThePepperSkull · 27th January 2012, 05:24 AM

Very nice, trenchwarfare! I love cross-cultural pieces. They're always very inventive.

drac2k · 6th January 2021, 04:06 PM

I posted 2 barongs on the same day that this thread was begun not realizing that it was started, so let me add 3 of my other blades.

xasterix · 6th January 2021, 04:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drac2k

I posted 2 barongs on the same day that this thread was begun not realizing that it was started, so let me add 3 of my other blades.

Merciful Lord...that's a king's ransom of really nice barungs! Great collection!

kronckew · 6th January 2021, 06:45 PM

Drac2k, nice batch of barungs, the scabbard wrappings on them are giving me ideas...

drac2k · 6th January 2021, 09:14 PM

Thanks, guys.

Sajen · 7th January 2021, 11:11 PM

Beautiful barongs drac2k!

Here a update of my ones, some are gone, some are new to the collection.

Indio_Ira · 14th April 2021, 09:43 PM

Hello Everyone,

Brand new member here and thank you for approving my account!

I'm quite new to collecting so I appreciate everyone's knowledge here and input. Here is my Barong with silver hilt and ivory pommel.

The scabbard seems to have been made later than the blade since it has a 1937 US coin. It is held together by nickle bands.

Would love to hear any feedback on where this Barong originated from on from what year.

Thanks!

kai · 15th April 2021, 02:52 AM

Welcome to the forum!

More pics and specs of the blade would be good.

The hilt and scabbard are likely Maranao work from after WWII.

The blade might also be Maranao but difficult to tell from the limited pics.

Regards,
Kai

kronckew · 15th April 2021, 10:57 AM

Dimensions (length, width, thickness of blade and weight help too. Please show both sides of the blade/grip. and scabbard

Blades are often older than scabbards as they tended to drop their scabbards before a battle, and recover them after victory. If they lost, they didn't need it, the new owner could either get a new one made, or have a look to see where the previous owners dropped them & find one that fit. Even if the old owner won, he may have had a new one made if it were damaged or worn, or he wanted a more decorated one.

pindang · 30th April 2021, 11:34 PM

Hello everyone.

I’m new to the forum, this is my first post. I’ve been collecting barungs for a while, here are a few pics I’d like to share.

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

kai · 2nd May 2021, 02:53 AM

Welcome to the forum!

That's a neat collection for a start - especially the series of slender barung which all seem to hail from the first half of the 20th century.

The first looks like an antique blade in recent scabbard; some more pics would be good.

Do you know the maker of the last example?

Regards,
Kai

pindang · 13th June 2021, 07:41 PM

Here are a few barungs from my collection.

Indio_Ira · 8th July 2021, 04:44 AM

Sorry all for the late reply on this.

But had to move across the coast and then work occupied my time.
Here's more photos and specs:

Blade length - 13 1/2inches
Thickness - 3/16
Hilt - close to 6 inches

Total length - 19 inches from tip of the blade and tip of the ivory hilt.

Perhaps that'll help to determine the provenance of it.

Thank you all!

Battara · 9th July 2021, 01:45 AM

This is a nice ivory Maranao barong. I did some restoration work on this. Glad it went to a loving owner!

gp · 4th September 2021, 08:34 PM

first time I read the title "Go on... show us your Barung!!! "....

my first thoughts where, where did a decent christian guy like me end up...?
between a bunch of perverts....
or ruffians....?

luckily I recognized a few names of decent lads and the pics shown were OK !

Question I have is :

what attracks you to a barong ?
why do you like it and what about it you like ?

FYI: I am from the Netherlands or Holland if you like and by tradition or better due to historical ties we do have a certain affinity with the kris.
Both peoples : Indonesian decent and also Dutch, us Cloggies thus

like the kris
Not only as a cold weapon as such and the historical part, but also due to its mystical, spiritual nature.
Noticing that most of you do not have that personal and or historical tie with the barong country/ countries, I am curious what attracts you to it?
No disrespect nor offence intended ...

BR

Gunar

Rick · 4th September 2021, 11:15 PM

Hi, US here,
Have you forgotten the Philippine Revolution at the end of the Span-AM war?

IIRC America was quite involved in the Philippines during that time; and shortly thereafter in WWII.
Americans have those historical ties to the Islands. Three of my ancestors were there over that span of time; one died there somewhere in the wilds of Mindanao.

Fatal beauty.
A Barung is a very efficient tool for separating people from their limbs; they were used for that purpose back then. Some of the simple real antique ones have a certain feeling when you hold them, almost like they're old veterans that have stories to tell could we only hear them.

21st January 2012, 08:49 PM	#1
Spunjer Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Witness Protection Program Posts: 1,730	Go on... show us your Barung!!! i thought Andy Stevens thread regarding choora was most excellent, so i decided to create this one, in honor of the Barung. it would be fun to see the different barungs from everyone's collection. as we know, the variance between barungs are subtle, compared to the kris, but each one is individually unique and an art to its own. so here's a few from last year's family picture. the gasahs were added as props... A) warrior's barung, with an unusual, fully intact carabao's horn ferrule B) shandigan blade, with bold pile lamination pattern C) from the Sama people, with a zulfikar engraved close to the handle D) my first junggayan pommeled barung E) kamagong with ivory inlays datu barung F) big, chunky ivory hilted with gold ferrule barung G) most excellent carved junggayan hilt with naga inlays on the blade H) a junggayan handle barung, very chunky in design with shorter than usual ferrule compensated with a longer than average blade I) chased ferruled barung with double edged blade J) my very first barung, just an every day variation K) an older piece, with a chopmark stamp on the blade L) a real thick shandigan blade, with an unusual handle design Attached Images

21st January 2012, 11:19 PM	#3
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,229	Ah what the heck! I don't have as many but I have 3: top: fossil mastodon pommel and silver sleeve middle: ivory pommel with silver sleeve and swassa ferrule bottom: wood with ivory inlay pommel, silver braided and chased, brass sleeve Attached Images

22nd January 2012, 12:53 PM	#5
paolo Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 173	I have only two. The first is Sulu, the second one was brought at the battle of Bud Dajo. Paolo Attached Images

23rd January 2012, 10:29 AM	#7
Royston Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Poole England Posts: 443	Three simple ones. Old photos, they are much cleaner now. Roy Attached Images

23rd January 2012, 03:11 PM	#8
Loedjoe Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Oxford (UK) Posts: 96	Here are a few more. (Sajen - 'simple' barung are just as beautiful) Attached Images

21st January 2012, 09:16 PM	#2
A.alnakkas Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Kuwait Posts: 1,340	Wow very beautiful mate! Too bad I have non to share :-)

22nd January 2012, 01:06 AM	#4
Stan S. Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Brooklyn, NY USA Posts: 227	Wow! Just wow!

22nd January 2012, 03:28 PM	#6
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	I always thought that handles with the carved box-like "beak" of the kakatua pommel appeared in the 1930s. At least, that's what I read here from the Moro gurus. If so, the inscription dated 1907 might be a little suspect. Am I totally wrong?

23rd January 2012, 04:59 PM	#9
Sajen Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Germany, Dortmund Posts: 8,794	OMG, so beautiful examples, thank you all for sharing. Loedjoe thank you for your kind words! Here pictures from the lamination of my bigger barong. Attached Images

24th January 2012, 02:32 AM	#10
Spunjer Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Witness Protection Program Posts: 1,730	wow, excellent barungs! loedjoe, welcome to the forum, and thanks for posting your pieces. you should post more often sajen, that's one heck of a lamination you got!!! please keep it coming, guys!!!

25th January 2012, 02:08 AM	#11
Ferguson Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Kernersville, NC, USA Posts: 793	I only have one nice one. Steve Attached Images

27th January 2012, 03:58 AM	#12
trenchwarfare Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 385	Awesome blades guys. Does this one count? Only "Barung", I have. Could have been done by a native, or GI. Or could've been done by a Japanese. They were on some of the islands for so long, some of them, "Went native". Attached Images

27th January 2012, 04:15 AM	#13
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,294	Nice temper line .

27th January 2012, 05:24 AM	#14
ThePepperSkull Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 338	Very nice, trenchwarfare! I love cross-cultural pieces. They're always very inventive.

6th January 2021, 04:06 PM	#15
drac2k Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Posts: 1,234	I posted 2 barongs on the same day that this thread was begun not realizing that it was started, so let me add 3 of my other blades. Attached Images

6th January 2021, 06:45 PM	#17
kronckew Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Room 101, Glos. UK Posts: 4,186	Drac2k, nice batch of barungs, the scabbard wrappings on them are giving me ideas...

6th January 2021, 09:14 PM	#18
drac2k Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Posts: 1,234	Thanks, guys.

7th January 2021, 11:11 PM	#19
Sajen Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Germany, Dortmund Posts: 8,794	Beautiful barongs drac2k! Here a update of my ones, some are gone, some are new to the collection. Attached Images

14th April 2021, 09:43 PM	#20
Indio_Ira Member Join Date: Apr 2021 Posts: 26	Datu Barong Hello Everyone, Brand new member here and thank you for approving my account! I'm quite new to collecting so I appreciate everyone's knowledge here and input. Here is my Barong with silver hilt and ivory pommel. The scabbard seems to have been made later than the blade since it has a 1937 US coin. It is held together by nickle bands. Would love to hear any feedback on where this Barong originated from on from what year. Thanks! Attached Images

15th April 2021, 02:52 AM	#21
kai Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 3,254	Welcome to the forum! More pics and specs of the blade would be good. The hilt and scabbard are likely Maranao work from after WWII. The blade might also be Maranao but difficult to tell from the limited pics. Regards, Kai

15th April 2021, 10:57 AM	#22
kronckew Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Room 101, Glos. UK Posts: 4,186	Dimensions (length, width, thickness of blade and weight help too. Please show both sides of the blade/grip. and scabbard Blades are often older than scabbards as they tended to drop their scabbards before a battle, and recover them after victory. If they lost, they didn't need it, the new owner could either get a new one made, or have a look to see where the previous owners dropped them & find one that fit. Even if the old owner won, he may have had a new one made if it were damaged or worn, or he wanted a more decorated one.

30th April 2021, 11:34 PM	#23
pindang Member Join Date: Apr 2021 Posts: 14	Hello everyone. I’m new to the forum, this is my first post. I’ve been collecting barungs for a while, here are a few pics I’d like to share. Hope everyone has a great weekend! Attached Images

2nd May 2021, 02:53 AM	#24
kai Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 3,254	Welcome to the forum! That's a neat collection for a start - especially the series of slender barung which all seem to hail from the first half of the 20th century. The first looks like an antique blade in recent scabbard; some more pics would be good. Do you know the maker of the last example? Regards, Kai

13th June 2021, 07:41 PM	#25
pindang Member Join Date: Apr 2021 Posts: 14	Barungs Here are a few barungs from my collection. Attached Images

8th July 2021, 04:44 AM	#26
Indio_Ira Member Join Date: Apr 2021 Posts: 26	Sorry all for the late reply on this. But had to move across the coast and then work occupied my time. Here's more photos and specs: Blade length - 13 1/2inches Thickness - 3/16 Hilt - close to 6 inches Total length - 19 inches from tip of the blade and tip of the ivory hilt. Perhaps that'll help to determine the provenance of it. Thank you all! Attached Images

9th July 2021, 01:45 AM	#27
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,229	This is a nice ivory Maranao barong. I did some restoration work on this. Glad it went to a loving owner!

4th September 2021, 08:34 PM	#28
gp Member Join Date: May 2020 Posts: 726	first time I read the title "Go on... show us your Barung!!! ".... my first thoughts where, where did a decent christian guy like me end up...? between a bunch of perverts.... or ruffians....? luckily I recognized a few names of decent lads and the pics shown were OK ! Question I have is : what attracks you to a barong ? why do you like it and what about it you like ? FYI: I am from the Netherlands or Holland if you like and by tradition or better due to historical ties we do have a certain affinity with the kris. Both peoples : Indonesian decent and also Dutch, us Cloggies thus like the kris Not only as a cold weapon as such and the historical part, but also due to its mystical, spiritual nature. Noticing that most of you do not have that personal and or historical tie with the barong country/ countries, I am curious what attracts you to it? No disrespect nor offence intended ... BR Gunar

4th September 2021, 11:15 PM	#29
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,294	Martial History Hi, US here, Have you forgotten the Philippine Revolution at the end of the Span-AM war? IIRC America was quite involved in the Philippines during that time; and shortly thereafter in WWII. Americans have those historical ties to the Islands. Three of my ancestors were there over that span of time; one died there somewhere in the wilds of Mindanao. Fatal beauty. A Barung is a very efficient tool for separating people from their limbs; they were used for that purpose back then. Some of the simple real antique ones have a certain feeling when you hold them, almost like they're old veterans that have stories to tell could we only hear them. Last edited by Rick; 4th September 2021 at 11:29 PM.