Help with Moro Kris

imas560 · 5th July 2011, 05:43 AM

Hello all,
I have been otherwise engaged but still pick up the odd item now and then. I have just acquired what seems to be a Moro Kris.
Approx 25 inch in length.
Plain scabbard. Scabbard halves held together with 3 pins.
Chipped blade edge. Three fullers. Mindanao “crossover” elephant trunk design (based on Cato).
Chipped/broken kakatua crest on handle.
Any help with identifying would be much appreciated.
Apologies for fuzzy pics, my main camera has been recently injured whilst playing with my 3 year old.

Indianajones · 5th July 2011, 08:13 PM

Hello, Wow nice find. It seems to be an ancient one. I love the straight blade and also the rather large '' bird'' at the end of the handle+ silver cilinders around grip. The ''elephantstrunk'' I believe points towards Maguindanao tribe (West-Mindanao), but other members probably have more expertise on this area.
Even with the quite neatly made scabbard; if the tip of the handle on one side was still there it would certainly be a true museumpiece to my opinion. But am sure it broke off long long time ago by use.

Congratulations!

Battara · 5th July 2011, 11:14 PM

Well you got a lot on this piece already. The scabbard appears to be Sulu. I would need to get better pictures to see the ornament and okir on the hilt to tell more. Mid-late 19th century. The crossover blade would mean probably a Maguindanao blade usually.

Rick · 5th July 2011, 11:20 PM

The fullering is unusual for a Moro Kalis .

Looks like a good find .

Agree with Jose, better pics please .

imas560 · 5th July 2011, 11:24 PM

Thanks Battara & Rick,
have been having a wee bit of a rollercoaster ride trawling through other posts and wondering if it's a fake etc. Found one that had a similar fuller configuration and seemed to be North Borneo. Another post mentioned trade blades?
Am trying to source another camera to get some better pics.
Thanks again.

Rick · 5th July 2011, 11:26 PM

That's no fake .

Looks like it was made for a fairly large hand .

imas560 · 5th July 2011, 11:45 PM

Sorry Indianajones, for some reason I missed your post. Thanks guys, I have tracked down another camera and am about to trundle off and get some more pics. This is my first Moro Kris and I have been keeping an eye out for awhile so am new to this field.

Maurice · 6th July 2011, 07:28 AM

Great kris and I'm looking forward to see clear close-ups when the camera has been fixed (normally it's unfixable when a 3-year old child had been playing with it, so I suggest you get yourself a new one) ;-)

I've had a moro kris with three fullers in the blade also some time ago:
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=10872

Maurice

imas560 · 6th July 2011, 08:01 AM

Thanks Maurice,
Your post was one that caught my eye when I was researching.
Have attached some photos that a friend kindly took for me.
thanks for the info everyone.

Battara · 6th July 2011, 10:58 PM

Based on what I can see of the okir on the hilt, the okir appears to me to be Maguindanao. Even the silver bands that do not have okir appear to be of Maguindanao manufacture. I would say that the piece, especially the hilt, is Maguindanao in origin. Better lit pictures might change this opinion or add to it.

imas560 · 7th July 2011, 12:04 AM

Thanks Battara. I'll try and source a camera in the next couple of days.

imas560 · 8th July 2011, 04:27 AM

Managed to find technical info for fixing my coolpix s4. Apparently I hit the lense to be able to see an image. Anyways have taken some more photos but not sure if quality is up to scratch.
thanks for any info on this piece.

Battara · 8th July 2011, 07:36 AM

Well looking at these pictures, I still lean towards Maguindanao okir work with some modification on the bottom ferrule.

5th July 2011, 05:43 AM	#1
imas560 Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Posts: 180	Help with Moro Kris Hello all, I have been otherwise engaged but still pick up the odd item now and then. I have just acquired what seems to be a Moro Kris. Approx 25 inch in length. Plain scabbard. Scabbard halves held together with 3 pins. Chipped blade edge. Three fullers. Mindanao “crossover” elephant trunk design (based on Cato). Chipped/broken kakatua crest on handle. Any help with identifying would be much appreciated. Apologies for fuzzy pics, my main camera has been recently injured whilst playing with my 3 year old. Attached Images

6th July 2011, 08:01 AM	#9
imas560 Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Posts: 180	Thanks Maurice, Your post was one that caught my eye when I was researching. Have attached some photos that a friend kindly took for me. thanks for the info everyone. Attached Images

8th July 2011, 04:27 AM	#12
imas560 Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Posts: 180	Managed to find technical info for fixing my coolpix s4. Apparently I hit the lense to be able to see an image. Anyways have taken some more photos but not sure if quality is up to scratch. thanks for any info on this piece. Attached Images

5th July 2011, 08:13 PM	#2
Indianajones Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Posts: 180	Hello, Wow nice find. It seems to be an ancient one. I love the straight blade and also the rather large '' bird'' at the end of the handle+ silver cilinders around grip. The ''elephantstrunk'' I believe points towards Maguindanao tribe (West-Mindanao), but other members probably have more expertise on this area. Even with the quite neatly made scabbard; if the tip of the handle on one side was still there it would certainly be a true museumpiece to my opinion. But am sure it broke off long long time ago by use. Congratulations!

5th July 2011, 11:14 PM	#3
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,219	Well you got a lot on this piece already. The scabbard appears to be Sulu. I would need to get better pictures to see the ornament and okir on the hilt to tell more. Mid-late 19th century. The crossover blade would mean probably a Maguindanao blade usually.

5th July 2011, 11:20 PM	#4
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,293	The fullering is unusual for a Moro Kalis . Looks like a good find . Agree with Jose, better pics please .

5th July 2011, 11:24 PM	#5
imas560 Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Posts: 180	Thanks Battara & Rick, have been having a wee bit of a rollercoaster ride trawling through other posts and wondering if it's a fake etc. Found one that had a similar fuller configuration and seemed to be North Borneo. Another post mentioned trade blades? Am trying to source another camera to get some better pics. Thanks again.

5th July 2011, 11:26 PM	#6
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,293	That's no fake . Looks like it was made for a fairly large hand .

5th July 2011, 11:45 PM	#7
imas560 Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Posts: 180	Sorry Indianajones, for some reason I missed your post. Thanks guys, I have tracked down another camera and am about to trundle off and get some more pics. This is my first Moro Kris and I have been keeping an eye out for awhile so am new to this field.

6th July 2011, 07:28 AM	#8
Maurice Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 1,346	Great kris and I'm looking forward to see clear close-ups when the camera has been fixed (normally it's unfixable when a 3-year old child had been playing with it, so I suggest you get yourself a new one) ;-) I've had a moro kris with three fullers in the blade also some time ago: http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=10872 Maurice

6th July 2011, 10:58 PM	#10
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,219	Based on what I can see of the okir on the hilt, the okir appears to me to be Maguindanao. Even the silver bands that do not have okir appear to be of Maguindanao manufacture. I would say that the piece, especially the hilt, is Maguindanao in origin. Better lit pictures might change this opinion or add to it.

7th July 2011, 12:04 AM	#11
imas560 Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Posts: 180	Thanks Battara. I'll try and source a camera in the next couple of days.

8th July 2011, 07:36 AM	#13
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,219	Well looking at these pictures, I still lean towards Maguindanao okir work with some modification on the bottom ferrule.