javanese or chinese??

[A. G. Maisey]

OK Ferry, I'm tuned in to you.

The sword you saw in Jakarta is SIMILAR TO the sword of which you posted a picture.

Understood.

I think you confused us a little --- or maybe we confused ourselves.

When you actually have the sword you intend to purchase, in your hands, how about if you give us a picture of it, and we can comment on the actual sword you are talking about, instead of one similar to it?

That scabbard of which you posted a picture does not look Chinese to my eyes.With that kepet, it looks Madurese. I cannot see the motif in the brass work very clearly. Is it a Chinese motif? If so, it might have been put together by a gentleman of Chinese descent, living in Madura, or perhaps East Jawa, around Surabaya.

If in fact the sword you will purchase is Javanese, it should be stained. Done correctly this will not damage the edge.

If I were to order a scabbard for this type of blade I would probably opt for a scabbard without metal fittings. Probably akasia wood with good serat nginden, buntut sungu, and sungu at the mouth of the scabbard. The two pieces of sungu should be fitted in such a way that the wood penetrates the sungu and the sungu serves to add strength to the joint of the wood. If you can get a tukang wrongko to make the wood as terusan, rather than sambungan, this would be best, but the wood should still penetrate the sungu.

If you need to get the handle made too, there are a number of designs you could use. I rather like that dove pattern on the sword you have shown a photo of.