A large auction lot of ivory hilted Moro kris and gunong

[xasterix]

Originally Posted by Ian

Hi Xas,

There is a significant risk importing any ivory-containing item into Australia. Like the U.S. and Europe, we have enforcement of CITES regulations and confiscation/destruction of ivory-containing items without the required certification, which is expensive and difficult to obtain. Thus, this lot would have been of little interest to (law-abiding) collectors in countries that enforce the CITES requirements.

Regards, Ian

P.S. Did you happen to know the collector who put this lot up for auction?

PH is also a CITES partner, but laws aren't enforced as much... 3rd world country nuances lol. I know the source collection of those blades, but not exactly who commissioned it (may have been an intermediary)

[Ian]

Thanks Xas. Would you care to comment on the age and dress of these items?

[Pertinax]

Are milk tusks also banned?

[xasterix]

Originally Posted by Ian

Thanks Xas. Would you care to comment on the age and dress of these items?

The blade on the middle has potential to be old, but i can't tell for sure because the gangya is obstructed. The leftmost and rightmost, I'm guessing are pre-WW2 at least. The dresses could have been made from 1920s-1970s.

Here's another kris from that collection, sorry i can't show the whole thing in deference to the owner. But you'll notice the dress is virtually the same- except this kris has a molar ivory pommel.

The ex-collector collected a massive number of pieces in Davao in the 1970s.

[Ian]

Thanks for sharing that additional example Xas. Very much in the same style as the other ones shown here. The ex-collector must have had quite some collection. It's interesting that this style of Moro dress lasted until the 1970s. In my experience more common vintage items that come on the market often show plainer and less refined decorative work. The hilts and scabbards shown here look to be higher quality, and perhaps that's partly why I have not see them very often over the last 30+ years.

It would be interesting to know more about the Moro craftsmen who produced this high quality work and whether it was a single family or particular community that were responsible.


As an afterthought, those looking to sell these items might have more success through offering them in smaller, less expensive lots. I understand the desire to sell a sub-collection in a reasonably intact state, but in this case a major buyer failed to emerge.

[Battara]

I will agree with your notations folks. Later than 19c pieces.

The style of okir and style of chasing work, though very good, is later as in WW2 and later.

That being said, I love the brass and silver chasing work on this last kris posted.