Very Interesting Piso Podang With Inserted Edge

[kai]

Hello Charles,

Another nice one! Not sure wether this is more likely Malay rather than Batak...

Here is another recent pick up that seemed like a rather mundane piso podang until I had the blade polished and it revealed an inserted hardened edge more commonly seen on Chinese blades. I have to think this is a Chinese influence on a native made blade...or would that sort of ability have been available in Indonesia??...so perhaps a Chinese trade blade??

Have you verified at the back of the blade that it's not sandwich construction?

Either way, IMHO this just shows that this is not a European trade blade (or recycled battle pick up) but most likely the craft of a local bladesmith.

Note also the the unique two toned hilt.
The polisher, a forumite, also thought that elements of the two toned hilt might have a gold element to them, perhaps "white gold". Until tested, this is pure speculation.

Please get it tested! At least, there appear to be a few examples with silver hilts.

High-karat white gold is a modern alloy (and a pain to work with): While suasa has been utilized in different colors when faith or limited funds prohibited the use of pure gold, high-karat gold has always been worn to show the real color throughout SEA...

Since the parts of this hilt seem to be solid, I guess this was made from brass and white brass.

Regards,
Kai