A Monster(as in BIG) Parang!....But From Where???

VANDOO · 21st September 2011, 04:07 AM

IT LOOKS LIKE FIRST CLASS WORK FROM BORNEO. THE WORKMANSHIP, HEAVY BLADE AND DESIGNS REMIND ME OF SOME OF THE LARGE FIRST CLASS PARANG LATOKS I HAVE SEEN. A REALLY NICE ONE WISH IT WERE MINE .CONGRADULATIONS

VVV · 21st September 2011, 06:21 AM

Great piece Charles!

It's a variation of a parang pedang, one of my favourites.
Yours is probably from coastal Sarawak with its Melanau silver sleeve.
The length is normal, both over all and the blade but the thickness at the
back is usually around 1/2 inch.
The thickness of yours reminds me too of a Melanau Latok Sadap (like Barry indicated).
The new scabbard isn't "100 %" correct however.
They come in two separate styles and yours is a bit of each.

Michael

kai · 21st September 2011, 08:00 AM

Whoa, that's a whopping one!

Love the laminations and the fullers!

BTW, you often only show one side of a piece when posting pics. How about taking the overview shot of the other side than the close-ups? That would allow us to glean a few more details without taking more time or bandwidth...

Regards,
Kai

CharlesS · 21st September 2011, 12:38 PM

Thanks VVV,

Can you post pics the two scabbard styles? I was having to "wing it" a little here, going primarily from the niabor model, based on blade width and curvature similarities.

VVV · 21st September 2011, 01:18 PM

Sure Charles,

Here are the two variations.
I assume that the first one is Murut-related. The second variation might be also be older (the PP in it is the oldest one I have seen).
As you can see your scabbard resembles the first variation at the throat and the second at the end.

Michael

CharlesS · 21st September 2011, 02:00 PM

Thanks Michael!

VVV · 21st September 2011, 02:52 PM

Welcome,

Btw, I (and Ben who has seen my four PPs and also has two himself) suspect that the PP and the Nyabur are related, probably being the two oldest Dayak swords from the West coast. We dated date my all-brass hilted #2 above to early 19th C, maybe even late 18th C, which is very old for a Borneo parang.
Yours is the heftiest PP I have seen (so far).

Michael

21st September 2011, 01:18 PM	#5
VVV Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Sweden Posts: 1,637	Sure Charles, Here are the two variations. I assume that the first one is Murut-related. The second variation might be also be older (the PP in it is the oldest one I have seen). As you can see your scabbard resembles the first variation at the throat and the second at the end. Michael Attached Images

21st September 2011, 04:07 AM	#1
VANDOO (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: OKLAHOMA, USA Posts: 3,138	IT LOOKS LIKE FIRST CLASS WORK FROM BORNEO. THE WORKMANSHIP, HEAVY BLADE AND DESIGNS REMIND ME OF SOME OF THE LARGE FIRST CLASS PARANG LATOKS I HAVE SEEN. A REALLY NICE ONE WISH IT WERE MINE .CONGRADULATIONS

21st September 2011, 06:21 AM	#2
VVV Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Sweden Posts: 1,637	Great piece Charles! It's a variation of a parang pedang, one of my favourites. Yours is probably from coastal Sarawak with its Melanau silver sleeve. The length is normal, both over all and the blade but the thickness at the back is usually around 1/2 inch. The thickness of yours reminds me too of a Melanau Latok Sadap (like Barry indicated). The new scabbard isn't "100 %" correct however. They come in two separate styles and yours is a bit of each. Michael

21st September 2011, 08:00 AM	#3
kai Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 3,255	Whoa, that's a whopping one! Love the laminations and the fullers! BTW, you often only show one side of a piece when posting pics. How about taking the overview shot of the other side than the close-ups? That would allow us to glean a few more details without taking more time or bandwidth... Regards, Kai

21st September 2011, 12:38 PM	#4
CharlesS Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Greenville, NC Posts: 1,854	Thanks VVV, Can you post pics the two scabbard styles? I was having to "wing it" a little here, going primarily from the niabor model, based on blade width and curvature similarities.

21st September 2011, 02:00 PM	#6
CharlesS Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Greenville, NC Posts: 1,854	Thanks Michael!

21st September 2011, 02:52 PM	#7
VVV Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Sweden Posts: 1,637	Welcome, Btw, I (and Ben who has seen my four PPs and also has two himself) suspect that the PP and the Nyabur are related, probably being the two oldest Dayak swords from the West coast. We dated date my all-brass hilted #2 above to early 19th C, maybe even late 18th C, which is very old for a Borneo parang. Yours is the heftiest PP I have seen (so far). Michael