Hill tribe sword

JeffS · 9th March 2025, 12:00 PM

Hello. Bought this on a whim (offer accepted on Ebay). The handle looks Muong from Northern Vietnam to me (I've add photo of Myong knife I collected in 2009) but curious about the blade, particularly the engravings. I'm guessing European on origin but not sure. Any thoughts?

Sajen · 9th March 2025, 01:49 PM

Hi Jeff,

When I first looked at your pictures a Philippines Luzon origin comes to my mind, this also would explain the engravings on the blade. Are the handle mounts from iron? Is the tang peened at the end from the handle?
See here a similar handle style, taken from an older thread. I really don't think that your sword is a hill tribe sword/blade.

Regards,
Detlef

JeffS · 9th March 2025, 06:36 PM

Good point. I won't have it in hand for awhile so won't know if there is a peen, but the handle also certainly matches your example. The blade, of course, is not hill tribe but I wouldn't be surprised to see a trade blade repurposed for use. Does the carving motif style look familiar from Philippines examples?

Norman McCormick · 9th March 2025, 07:29 PM

Hi,
The blade decoration is somewhat reminiscent of some European court/small swords.
Regards,
Norman.

JeffS · 10th March 2025, 01:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Norman McCormick

Hi,
The blade decoration is somewhat reminiscent of some European court/small swords.
Regards,
Norman.

Yes, that is what was the type of thing I was wondering. Hopefully there will be more clues.

Ian · 10th March 2025, 06:05 AM

Hi Jeff,

I thought the same as Detlef. This might well be a Spanish Colonial blade, with decorations consistent with that origin. The handle would be locally made in the Philippines. If so, that blade would be no later than 19th C and perhaps earlier. (Might be worth running it by the Euro Forum guys when you have a chance to clean it a bit to show the decorations more clearly.)

I've been finding a few items like this lately--Spanish Colonial arms from the Philippines--having not seen much over the last 30+ years.

9th March 2025, 12:00 PM	#1
JeffS Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Singapore Posts: 401	Hill tribe sword Hello. Bought this on a whim (offer accepted on Ebay). The handle looks Muong from Northern Vietnam to me (I've add photo of Myong knife I collected in 2009) but curious about the blade, particularly the engravings. I'm guessing European on origin but not sure. Any thoughts? Attached Images

9th March 2025, 01:49 PM	#2
Sajen Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Germany, Dortmund Posts: 9,123	Hi Jeff, When I first looked at your pictures a Philippines Luzon origin comes to my mind, this also would explain the engravings on the blade. Are the handle mounts from iron? Is the tang peened at the end from the handle? See here a similar handle style, taken from an older thread. I really don't think that your sword is a hill tribe sword/blade. Regards, Detlef Attached Images Last edited by Sajen; 9th March 2025 at 03:25 PM.

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9th March 2025, 06:36 PM	#3
JeffS Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Singapore Posts: 401	Good point. I won't have it in hand for awhile so won't know if there is a peen, but the handle also certainly matches your example. The blade, of course, is not hill tribe but I wouldn't be surprised to see a trade blade repurposed for use. Does the carving motif style look familiar from Philippines examples?

9th March 2025, 07:29 PM	#4
Norman McCormick Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 1,610	Hi, The blade decoration is somewhat reminiscent of some European court/small swords. Regards, Norman.

10th March 2025, 06:05 AM	#6
Ian Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: The Aussie Bush Posts: 4,333	Hi Jeff, I thought the same as Detlef. This might well be a Spanish Colonial blade, with decorations consistent with that origin. The handle would be locally made in the Philippines. If so, that blade would be no later than 19th C and perhaps earlier. (Might be worth running it by the Euro Forum guys when you have a chance to clean it a bit to show the decorations more clearly.) I've been finding a few items like this lately--Spanish Colonial arms from the Philippines--having not seen much over the last 30+ years.