Intersting rattan quiver?? for Id and opinions

[Andy Stevens]

Hello to all. We have something of an on going argument that needs to be settled, the outcome of which determines who buys the next pizza! The item in queastion is the 'quiver' pictured below. Firstly, is it a quiver? secondly, where does it come from? We both have our own opinions but as neither of us can prove the other wrong we thought the forum may be able to decide once and for all. The object is very well made from a single piece of folded bamboo, the top being finely woven rattan.
Overall length:35cm

Best regards Andy and karina

[Nathaniel]

Can't say for sure...could be a number of places in SEA, but it reminds me of similar rattan baskets I've seen for knives in Thailand & Burma, but they are usually woven the entire length, but sometimes a large single piece such as this...yours is very nice condition.

Here is a Kachin sword I have that has a basket scabbard...http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=5426

[Henk]

I think it is a dartquiver indeed. I think from Phillipine origin. I Found some pictures on google "bamboo dart quiver with woven".

[Nathaniel]

I'm still leaning to the SEA mainland....when I google "bamboo dart quiver with woven" The only thing that turned up was a Borneo dart quiver.

IF I added Filipino to the search I found:



Which is not quite as close to the what I've seen in Thailand:

[Henk]

Nathaniel, did you read the text belonging to these quivers? The author said this is Philipine.

[Andy Stevens]

Hello again folks, we've been doing a bit of researching ourselves and found some similar basket work coming from China's Dong people. The link below shows examples of various baskets, all of which show a very high degree of skill in production.The quiver shown is for a full size bow and not for blow pipe darts. We say ours is simillar in some respects, but still yearn for the definate identification of what is in its own right a beautiful piece of tribal art. As ever comments very welcome.







http://www.toranatribal.com/Baskets.html

[VANDOO]

MOST BUT NOT ALL BLOWGUN DART QUIVERS HAVE A COVER. I AM THINKING PERHAPS THIS IS A QUIVER FOR THE SHORT BOLTS FOR THE CROSSBOWS USED IN INDO CHINA. BASED ON ITS CONSTRUCTION, SIZE AND LACK OF A COVER THAT IS MY BEST GUESS.

[Navigator]

I am almost positive that this quiver is not from the Philippines.
Nice piece.

[Nathaniel]

Originally Posted by Henk

Nathaniel, did you read the text belonging to these quivers? The author said this is Philipine.

Yup, I did search the suggested terminology word for word...only found a woven quiver from Borneo....I then added Philippine and Google suggested "Filipino", a Filipino being a person from the Philippines....I added it to the search results showed the above black and white photo which I showed above

Which actually came off a vikingsword.com page:

Plates from:
Herbert W. Krieger's
The Collection of Primitive Weapons and Armor of the Philippine Islands
in the United States National Museum
Smithsonian Institution; United States National Museum, Bulletin 137 (1926)

http://www.vikingsword.com/rila/krieger.html

[Nathaniel]

Originally Posted by Andy Stevens

Hello again folks, we've been doing a bit of researching ourselves and found some similar basket work coming from China's Dong people. The link below shows examples of various baskets, all of which show a very high degree of skill in production.The quiver shown is for a full size bow and not for blow pipe darts. We say ours is simillar in some respects, but still yearn for the definate identification of what is in its own right a beautiful piece of tribal art. As ever comments very welcome.

http://www.toranatribal.com/Baskets.html

Interesting basketry of the Dong & Miao



This one listed as from Guizhou province in China, which is identical to the one I had in the picture of the knife sheath from Thailand.

I had a Thai friend look at the pictures of the quiver and they said it looked like it could be Thai or maybe Lao. I know I've seen examples in Thailand identical to the quiver you have Andy.

I think this just goes to show how wide range this could be...and that it is near impossible to specify the exact minority group...there are several ethnic minorities in the south east Asia...they have traded, adopted & adapted from each other...and migrated throughout history.

The basketry is SEA is all elaborate, the older examples of course tend to be the best as the newly made in the traditional style are rarely as fine of work.

A funny/ practical example I saw was a certain snack was traditionally put into an origami folded leaf container...well, one vendor I saw still used the leaf container...but rather than taking the extra time to make sure it was folded correctly to hold tight...it was instead just stapled together

Maybe some SEA basket expert could tell you...but from what I've seen it appears it's too generic Just like today it was then...if it's a popular design it's copied.

[Henk]

I think Vandoo came with the best answer.

I found the picture of this one. Saying a quiver from Cambodja.

[Freddy]

I have a piece in my collection which could fit into the discussion about the quivers or sheaths of this thread.

I don't know much about it. It came together with the 'chopper'. The sheath is made out of split rattan or bamboo with a leather covering at the top. The sword is straight, single-edged (and sharp) with a bamboo handle, reinforced with a woven band and a metal ring.

According to the person who sold this piece to me, it comes from the Yao people in Burma.

Length of sheath : 37 cm
width of sheath at the top : 10 cm

Total length of sword : 50 cm
Blade : 36 cm

[Andrew]

I agree with Nathaniel. This is a Mainland SEA scabbard, not a quiver. A number of "hill tribes" utilize this type of basketry to cover and carry bladed implements.

[asomotif]

A number of "hill tribes" utilize this type of basketry to cover and carry bladed implements.

Found the following pictures in "Basketry " ISBN 978-0-500-28670-8

Below pictures of :
1. a sheath of plaited split bamboo used by the Kamu of Laos.
2. left to right : Bamboo sheath from Myanmar / Kamu bamboo sheath / Akha rattan sheath from Northern Thailand.

[Andy Stevens]

Asomotif, you are a star! Thankyou so much for your research. The example in the lower picture is the closest yet to our little piece of basketry-all we need now is the knife!! A mystery solved is a pizza on the plate! Once again thankyou.

[PUFF]

Thailand, these day, the basket scabbards are mostly for knives.



But in the northern Thailand, the basket may come in different sizes for utilitarian purpose. Some are slightly bigger and folk people put severals items into his/her personal basket, ranging from slingshot, machete, cloth, rice, salt, spices, mushroom etc.

[asomotif]

Found one in the Netherlands.

Anyone who has a clue on the marking ?