A Bagobo sword

Flavio · 31st March 2006, 07:41 PM

Hello guys, here is another addiction of my collection of non-african weapons. I don't know where it comes from (since my copy of Stone is on the way as the one of van Zonneveld

), but on the excellent site of Mr. Yarom, i have found an identical one.

http://www.oriental-arms.com/item.php?id=992

What to you think? every comments are welcome. Thank you

katana · 31st March 2006, 08:36 PM

Very nice Flavio, I really like the scabbard.... do the rings (brass?) have any function?

Ian · 31st March 2006, 08:44 PM

Hi Flavio:

Yes, these are often attributed to the Bagobo, and many may have been made by that tribal group, but I think most that are coming on to the market for the last several years are actually from the Tagakaolo (Kaolu) people who live around Davao City on the east coast of Mindanao. They are neighbors to the Bagobo and Manobo.

This is a nice example of the form most commonly associated with the Kaolu.

Ian.

Flavio · 31st March 2006, 08:50 PM

Thank you very much Ian. From what you have written i understand that this piece isn't so old, or I'm wrong? Regards

Flavio

Ian · 1st April 2006, 04:13 AM

Hi Flavio:

Hard to judge age. This one does not look to have been used. Perhaps 1970 or later. These are still being made today, although not generally of this quality -- the brass is well cast and fitted well to the handle; good hardwoods used on the handle and scabbard; and the inlay work is well done also.

Pretty nice looking sword.

The tubes at the end of the scabbard are seen also on T'boli scabbards. They appear to be a form of decoration dating from the early- to mid-20th C. I have not seen them on 19th C. swords.

Ian.

pinoy · 1st April 2006, 06:52 AM

Got here a very nice example of an old bagobo kris.

Flavio · 1st April 2006, 07:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ian

Hi Flavio:

This one does not look to have been used. Perhaps 1970 or later.

Ian.

Thank you Ian

. I don't know if it was used, but maybe you can see from the pics that there is a restoration of the top of the handle that was made, i think, by the second owner, because he used a kind of resin. Moreover a lot of brass rings shows oxidation and the handle shows, in the upper part, a nice, quite deep, patination. Also the scabbard has some wears. The blade is for sure handmade and shows also singns of oxidation, but maybe it was over cleaned. There are still many evidences of a smoothing on stone: the blade surface is "covered" with lines that in some case are parallel, but not made with a file.

Flavio

Here are some more pics

zelbone · 1st April 2006, 08:50 AM

Ian,

Are you sure about the Kaolu attribution? Could it possibly be B'laan?

Zel

31st March 2006, 07:41 PM	#1
Flavio Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Italia Posts: 1,243	A Bagobo sword Hello guys, here is another addiction of my collection of non-african weapons. I don't know where it comes from (since my copy of Stone is on the way as the one of van Zonneveld ), but on the excellent site of Mr. Yarom, i have found an identical one. http://www.oriental-arms.com/item.php?id=992 What to you think? every comments are welcome. Thank you Attached Images

1st April 2006, 06:52 AM	#6
pinoy Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 14	Got here a very nice example of an old bagobo kris. Attached Images

31st March 2006, 08:36 PM	#2
katana Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Kent Posts: 2,653	Very nice Flavio, I really like the scabbard.... do the rings (brass?) have any function?

31st March 2006, 08:44 PM	#3
Ian Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: The Aussie Bush Posts: 4,133	Hi Flavio: Yes, these are often attributed to the Bagobo, and many may have been made by that tribal group, but I think most that are coming on to the market for the last several years are actually from the Tagakaolo (Kaolu) people who live around Davao City on the east coast of Mindanao. They are neighbors to the Bagobo and Manobo. This is a nice example of the form most commonly associated with the Kaolu. Ian.

31st March 2006, 08:50 PM	#4
Flavio Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Italia Posts: 1,243	Thank you very much Ian. From what you have written i understand that this piece isn't so old, or I'm wrong? Regards Flavio

1st April 2006, 04:13 AM	#5
Ian Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: The Aussie Bush Posts: 4,133	Hi Flavio: Hard to judge age. This one does not look to have been used. Perhaps 1970 or later. These are still being made today, although not generally of this quality -- the brass is well cast and fitted well to the handle; good hardwoods used on the handle and scabbard; and the inlay work is well done also. Pretty nice looking sword. The tubes at the end of the scabbard are seen also on T'boli scabbards. They appear to be a form of decoration dating from the early- to mid-20th C. I have not seen them on 19th C. swords. Ian.

1st April 2006, 08:50 AM	#8
zelbone Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: VISAYAS and MINDANAO Posts: 169	Ian, Are you sure about the Kaolu attribution? Could it possibly be B'laan? Zel