Lance head/ spear point for ID

[asomotif]

I bought this large lance head.

The blade is 34 cms long, 6,5 cms broad at the widest point and 1,4 cms thick at the base. The tang is

The tang is square, but with a twisted part.
The shaft is dark heavy hard wood with a more or less hair like structure.
Palm wood ?

Can anyone help me with ID on this one ?
Also I would like to know what the metal fitting must have looked like.

Thanks and best regards,
Willem

[Battara]

What a weird piece? I like it, but weird. The form throws me, but the laminations look Indonesian.

[asomotif]

Thanks Battara for the reaction.

Considering it looks weird to you means that I can rule out Philipine/Moro origin ?


The holes in the blade remind of Borneo blades that sometimes have holes near the base.
But those blades are much simpler. often not laminated.
Any ideas ?

Thanks and best regards,
Willem

[Maurice]

Hi Willem,

I don't know about this lance head.
But I have seen the images of the spears from the collection of Thorkild Moller, who had collected pieces from Borneo which were confiscated in the early '20's.
And believe me, there were awesome pieces, also with pamor if I recall it rightly...

Maurice

[Henk]

Willem,

Very nice. I think it is javanese. I would say a tombak or pike.
I found a picture on the internet. I think it should look like this one.

[asomotif]

Hello Henk,

Thanks for your input.
But javanese with the square tang and also this rather large size.
The 34 cms is excluding the tang.

I have not seen javanese tombak in such style and size. (yet)

Best regards,
Willem

[Henk]

Willem,

someone has to be the first

[kai]

Hello Willem,

This looks like post-WW2 work to me - non-traditional stuff can be tough to place: I'd guess Indonesia but wouldn't rule out Philippines (certainly not traditional Moro though) nor Malaysia.

Regards,
Kai

[Sajen]

Hi Willem,

my guess is that it is from Indonesia, the turned tang seems typical. But from which island/ethnic I don't know.
But I think that it is pre-WW2. By which reason someone shall have forged a spear- or lance head with not bad accomplishment after WW2?

Regards,

Detlef

[asomotif]

I found some spears on RMV website with holes near the base.
There are similarities, although mine is much broader.
The tang of the RMV pieces would be nice to see for comparison.

[asomotif]

I found another similar lance this week.

[David]

Well, it seems to have a metuk so that seems to place it somewhere in Indonesia for me. I couldn't say exactly where though. Seems like it could be early 20th century.

[kai]

Seems like it could be early 20th century.

Possibly even earlier, David.

Regards,
Kai

[kai]

Nice find, Willem! Thanks for showing - please add pics of the whole piece, too!

Regards,
Kai

[Battara]

I'm with Kai on this. In fact I like the laminations on this even better!

[asomotif]

Here are some pictures from the seller.
He got the lance from his neighbour 12 years ago.
She was a woman of 90 years at that time, and according to her, her father brought this lance from Borneo.
So this lance was most probably collected pre ww2.
Late 19th / early 20th is my guess as well.

The tip has some damage an will need some working.
When I get to that I will also give it a light etch to show the laminations.

I am very happy with this very complete lance.

[asomotif]

Here some more pictures including a new aquisition in the same style.

The 3rd one is not making it easier to pin point an origin on this shape.

[asomotif]

I found an auction in the UK in 2017 where these 3 lances were sold.
The description is only "indonesian 19th cent."