ID Help Needed

[kai]

Hello Radleigh,

Congrats, that's a really nice one!

Also unusual is the silver-colored "inlay" in the blade. It certainly isn't pamor (its my impression that most Sumba blades are not pamored?) but rather just irregular lines put into the blade, almost as if trying (crudely) to look like pamor.

Actually, that is pamor. This more roughly forged pamor seems to be more common on the "outer" islands, possibly done by tribal bladesmiths. You need to have a lot of skill and experience to do pattern welding under rural conditions but this ain't kraton quality, of course.

There are also fairly deep cracks and fissures at about the 1/3 point, either places where the inlay has fallen out, or some other damage.

I reckon you don't plan to actually use this sword. Thus, that fatal break won't be of much concern.

Weird that the scabbard tips of those latter 2 pieces have 2 holes each (possibly from nails for display purposes? ). And Robert's piece has an even weirder hole...


BTW, I wouldn't be surprised if all 3 West Sumba blades shown here would date to the 19th century - all look like genuine, old pieces. As always, fittings may be younger than the blades but even those overcleaned ones on Robert's piece looks good to me.

Robert, have you considered giving the blade a light etch?

Regards,
Kai