East Asian shield?

Ferguson · 22nd May 2011, 10:55 AM

Hi Tim,
I know nothing of shields, but I do know tools. If you look at the back of the shield, the swirls in the wood appear to be made by an electric angle grinder or circular sander. That would say very modern. Just my opinion.
But it's still a cool piece.

Steve

Tim Simmons · 22nd May 2011, 11:09 AM

Yes indeed. I thought possibly curved strokes with some kind of scraper but no. Well **** happens, to us all sometimes

KuKulzA28 · 23rd May 2011, 01:13 AM

The lizard definitely resemble monitor lizards or biawak. Does the level of intricacy or the style of the carvings suggest a region? Or perhaps the designs themselves? If those are indeed hornbills, the they are biawak, and the biawak are eating dogs... then maybe Borneo?

Is Borneo not known for hornbills, do Dayaks not have a lot of dog symbolism in their carvings and tattoos, and are biawak not very common there?

But does not look like a Dayak-style shield from the little I have seen in pictures... and hornbills, dogs, and monitor lizards are found in Africa as well...

Just a thought from am amateur

But then again, maybe it was made more recently, and maybe for the tourist industry

22nd May 2011, 10:55 AM	#1
Ferguson Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Kernersville, NC, USA Posts: 793	Hi Tim, I know nothing of shields, but I do know tools. If you look at the back of the shield, the swirls in the wood appear to be made by an electric angle grinder or circular sander. That would say very modern. Just my opinion. But it's still a cool piece. Steve Attached Images

22nd May 2011, 11:09 AM	#2
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,879	Yes indeed. I thought possibly curved strokes with some kind of scraper but no. Well **** happens, to us all sometimes

23rd May 2011, 01:13 AM	#3
KuKulzA28 Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: between work and sleep Posts: 731	The lizard definitely resemble monitor lizards or biawak. Does the level of intricacy or the style of the carvings suggest a region? Or perhaps the designs themselves? If those are indeed hornbills, the they are biawak, and the biawak are eating dogs... then maybe Borneo? Is Borneo not known for hornbills, do Dayaks not have a lot of dog symbolism in their carvings and tattoos, and are biawak not very common there? But does not look like a Dayak-style shield from the little I have seen in pictures... and hornbills, dogs, and monitor lizards are found in Africa as well... Just a thought from am amateur But then again, maybe it was made more recently, and maybe for the tourist industry