What's going on here (Batak)?

[JeffS]

I've started cleaning this piece which was part of an auction set. I have a long way to go but want to understand better what I am looking at before proceeding further. The small fullered blade (42cm) was set in the Batak handle with natural resin with the top part of the integral bolster emerging. After removing the the silver ferule for cleaning I noticed the tips of a Aceh crown emerging below the bolster so I cleaned away the crumbling resin to expose the part that emerges from the handle. This looks like a very small Luju Alang that was reset into a Batak figurine handle and dressed with Batak scabbard. The scabbard has a heavy silver throat and sleeve. Looks to be low-grade gold as a collar and suasa decorations on the silver foot. The silver bands are very variable in size. My first thought was that this must have been an old rehandle job to better sell for tourists but the scabbard looks like it was made for Batak use and the gold and silver content seems unnecessary for a tourist sale. The bolster and crown are also partly yellow metal and the base of the blade appears to have suasa streaks on it. Hope I can get help on the following questions:
1. Is this a Aceh Luju Alang?
2. Could this rehandle be for Batak use (instead of tourist) and the figural hilt correct for this purpose?
3. What is going on with the yellow metal at the bolster and crown and suasa (or copper) streaks on base of blade?

[Sajen]

Hello Jeff,

A very intersting knife, congrats!

To answer your questions to my limited knowledge:

1.: Yes.
2.: Yes
3.: You need to test them, could be very well suasa, I don't think that it is gold.

Best regards,
Detlef

[kai]

Hello Jeff,

I've started cleaning this piece which was part of an auction set. I have a long way to go but want to understand better what I am looking at before proceeding further. The small fullered blade (42cm) was set in the Batak handle with natural resin with the top part of the integral bolster emerging. After removing the the silver ferule for cleaning I noticed the tips of a Aceh crown emerging below the bolster so I cleaned away the crumbling pine resin to expose the part that emerges from the handle. This looks like a very small Luju Alang that was reset into a Batak figurine handle and dressed with Batak scabbard.

Good examination & analysis.

As mentioned here before, Batak material culture is a quagmire with tourist pieces being produced already 150 years ago. These were manufactured by local Batak artisans trying to make a living in difficult times, Batak moving into the coastal Malay cities looking for a job, or by workers in Chinese-owned factories specializing on providing tourist curios to colonial staff, European entrepreneurs or international travellers. Some of these curios got crafted by pimping up of genuine (but damaged/incomplete) blades with fittings implying higher status with quality materials or fantasy features. Some of the more daring pieces even exhibit a mix of Batak and Nias styles!

Even earlier (before colonial contact), fighting and hunting with blades was already considered anachronistic and largely superseded by firearms. Thus, many already had started falling out of everyday use, at least for some groups. Early visitors like Volz mention that it wasn't easy nor cheap to obtain any old blades. I suppose this was mainly due to them still keeping important ceremonial functions (e.g. in marriage rites); since most Batak got converted to Christianity within a few decades, their function as signs of status probably dropped quickly due to the pervasive impact of European missionaries.

The scabbard has a heavy silver throat and sleeve. Looks to be low-grade gold as a collar and suasa decorations on the silver foot. The silver bands are very variable in size. My first thought was that this must have been an old rehandle job to better sell for tourists but the scabbard looks like it was made for Batak use and the gold and silver content seems unnecessary for a tourist sale. The bolster and crown are also partly yellow metal and the base of the blade appears to have suasa streaks on it.

The scabbard exhibits some traditional Karo features including the profile of the crosspiece. I have a Karo dagger with a similarly almost-2-dimensional crosspiece. I have not yet been able to ascertain that this is a genuine old style though.

The silverwork near the tip as well as near the throat appear to be genuine Karo work with traditionally braided wire/etc. (same goes for the silver ferrule); I agree that the accents appear be suasa at the tip and a very low-carat gold alloy for the lobed band below the throat. Later pieces sometimes have copper and/or brass accents.

The bands might be later replacements - inconsistent widths are unusual. Also the woodcarving for the scabbard seems to be correct; was the timber stained though?

Hope I can get help on the following questions:
1. Is this a Aceh Juju Alang?

No, not any genuine Aceh blade (unless it is a full-size peudeueng panjang that got cut down and strongly modified - the wide fuller running through to the tip of the blade might be a hint on this). Aceh trade blades are being found in Batak dress, too.

However, these Aceh-style blades also got copied by local bladesmiths. While obviously based on Aceh style, these Batak blades tend to exhibit distinct features. They are also put in local fittings - again, more or less based on Aceh style with more obvious local twists...

So, yes, this could be considered a luju alang relative. However, the name this specific Karo group might have utilized was certainly different.

2. Could this rehandle be for Batak use (instead of tourist) and the figural hilt correct for this purpose?

While the "snake" (rather from the mythological naga spectrum) and "lizard" (possibly Boraspati ni Tano?) motifs are certainly traditional, they obviously were quite en vogue with the colonial officials and tourists. From the craftsmanship, this hilt does not appear to be from the "good ol' days", I'm afraid. Also the janus-like double faces or back-to-back figures were a common motif of hilt carvers during the first decades of the 20th century.

3. What is going on with the yellow metal at the bolster and crown and suasa (or copper) streaks on base of blade?

From what I can see, the lateral wings got brazed onto both sides of the blade in an attempt to mimic the corresponding Aceh feature; could this possibly made from some sort of knob that got cut in half? BTW, are you sure that the blotches on the blade are not remnants of the brazing? Same-o with the calyx which looks pretty decent - 6 lobes?


In the best case, this might be an old ceremonial blade with later scabbard replaced in culture, and only the horn hilt being a non-traditional restoration attempt.

Regards,
Kai

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by kai

The scabbard exhibits some traditional Karo features including the profile of the crosspiece. I have a Karo dagger with a similarly almost-2-dimensional crosspiece. I have not yet been able to ascertain that this is a genuine old style though.

Hello Kai,

Some lopah petawaran scabbards have similar cross piece styles, see attached examples. I think that this is a very old genuine style IMVHO.

Regards,
Detlef

[kai]

Hello Detlef,

Some lopah petawaran scabbards have similar cross piece styles, see attached examples. I think that this is a very old genuine style IMVHO.

Yes, possibly: As I mentioned, it is tough to find well-provenanced, early examples. I haven't seen any of this specific laterally compressed type that I firmly trust to be from the old days, say, over 150 years old...

Paolo's LP seems to also exhibit this thin silver crosspiece; it's most likely much younger than the blade though.

As I mentioned, the crosspiece style - as seen in profile! - is genuinely old. In addition to your example, there are more flamboyant traditional shapes, too.

Regards,
Kai

[JeffS]

Thank you for the discussion. Funny, I'm the owner of that lopah petwaran now... Minor point, but still curious - the metal streaks at the base of the blade are not the same material as the braising. It has distinct copper or suasa appearance. I've blown up the photos.

Even earlier (before colonial contact), fighting and hunting with blades was already considered anachronistic and largely superseded by firearms.

I'm having troubles rectifying this with the prevalence of all-business colonial period Batak swords. If the market is an indication, kalasan were in wide use during this period and these have thick spines, sharp, and are very stabby.

Also the woodcarving for the scabbard seems to be correct; was the timber stained though?

Not sure, almost looks like a thin resin coat. Some of the silverwork was also had resin like residue on it. The areas at sides of the bands is nearly black. The wood has extremely straight grain.

[Ian]

Jeff, thanks for posting this very interesting item. You have been doing some homework on it, obviously, and these cross-cultural pieces are always interesting. I don't find the term "tourist" at all pejorative when quality materials are employed and there is obvious skill in the craftsmanship.

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by kai

While the "snake" (rather from the mythological naga spectrum) and "lizard" (possibly Boraspati ni Tano?) motifs are certainly traditional, they obviously were quite en vogue with the colonial officials and tourists. From the craftsmanship, this hilt does not appear to be from the "good ol' days", I'm afraid. Also the janus-like double faces or back-to-back figures were a common motif of hilt carvers during the first decades of the 20th century.

Hello Kai,

I agree that the hilt looks like a later replacement and doesn't show the best carving. But the nice silver ferrule seems to be made for this hilt. And then the brittle resin which was removed from Jeff.
It takes time for the resin or cutler's resin to get brittle.
The blade got a new handle a long time ago but to be certain that it was done for selling purpose is a little bit gamy IMVHO.

Regards,
Detlef

[kai]

Hello Detlef,

I agree that the hilt looks like a later replacement and doesn't show the best carving. But the nice silver ferrule seems to be made for this hilt.

Quite possibly - however, traditional silver/gold smithing survived for much longer time since jewellery enjoyed continued interest within Christianized culture.

And then the brittle resin which was removed from Jeff.
It takes time for the resin or cutler's resin to get brittle.

The time frame I'm suggesting (around 100 years) should allow for some ageing, especially if starting with a recipe for filling cavities rather than a more elastic mix for setting functional blades.

Keep the resin and have a C14 analysis done, Jeff!

Regards,
Kai