New Panabas

Sajen · 22nd March 2012, 05:25 PM

Hello Robert,

now I am a little bit green with envy! Very nice panabas, congratulation!

A panabas is very up on my wish list. Do you plan to clean the blade and give it an etch?

Regards,

Detlef

Battara · 22nd March 2012, 11:28 PM

Nice piece. Hard to determine age on this. I would guess at 1910s to 1920s. It is Maranao in origin (possibly Maguindanao but leaning more Maranao) according to the okir I see in the bands.

Robert · 23rd March 2012, 06:43 AM

Detlef, thank you for your interest and compliments on this. I am sure that you will be able to find one for your own collection soon. As for etching the blade goes, I really haven't decided if I will or just leave it as is.
Jose, thank you very much for your help in dating this item. Do you think that by the way this is decorated that it would have been more of a status piece or possibly a ceremonial item? Again my thanks to everyone for their comments so far.

Robert

Battara · 24th March 2012, 12:26 AM

Certainly it would reflect the status of the datu to whom it ultimately belongs (one of his retainers would actually be holding the piece).

Ferguson · 24th March 2012, 01:04 AM

That's really cool. Great piece.

Steve

Robert · 27th March 2012, 01:20 AM

A few new pictures after a little cleaning. I'm not sure if they are any better than the first ones or if the are worse. The brighter part of the brass is from where I was holding on to it when cleaning the rust from the laminated blade. Sorry that I couldn't get better pictures of the blade but it was getting dark when they were being taken and the flash made a mess of things.The brass was just washed off with soapy ammonia and a wet rag.

Robert

Robert · 27th March 2012, 08:14 PM

A friend suggested to me that the end of the hilt on this was probably covered by a decorative cap originally. Now after looking at most if not all of the panabas pictures posted on this forum as well as every one I could find on the net I tend to agree. It does looks as though the ones of these that were covered or mostly covered by decorative or even plain panels and bands had a good possibility of the end of the hilt being be capped as well. Below is a picture of the hilt of a panabas that was originally posted by CharlesS (I hope you don't mind) that shows this, while having the same amount of bands (though these are silver where mine are brass) securing the blade to the haft, as well has having decorative panels that look to be very close if not identical to the ones used on mine. Comments on this as well as any other information you can offer would be greatly appreciated. My thanks to those who have commented so far.

Robert

P.S.
I have added a picture of this new panabas with his brother who has been living with my wife and I for a few months now.

23rd March 2012, 06:43 AM	#3
Robert EAAF Staff Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Centerville, Kansas Posts: 2,196	Detlef, thank you for your interest and compliments on this. I am sure that you will be able to find one for your own collection soon. As for etching the blade goes, I really haven't decided if I will or just leave it as is. Jose, thank you very much for your help in dating this item. Do you think that by the way this is decorated that it would have been more of a status piece or possibly a ceremonial item? Again my thanks to everyone for their comments so far. Robert Last edited by Robert Coleman; 23rd March 2012 at 07:19 AM.

27th March 2012, 01:20 AM	#6
Robert EAAF Staff Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Centerville, Kansas Posts: 2,196	A few new pictures after a little cleaning. I'm not sure if they are any better than the first ones or if the are worse. The brighter part of the brass is from where I was holding on to it when cleaning the rust from the laminated blade. Sorry that I couldn't get better pictures of the blade but it was getting dark when they were being taken and the flash made a mess of things.The brass was just washed off with soapy ammonia and a wet rag. Robert Attached Images

27th March 2012, 08:14 PM	#7
Robert EAAF Staff Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Centerville, Kansas Posts: 2,196	A friend suggested to me that the end of the hilt on this was probably covered by a decorative cap originally. Now after looking at most if not all of the panabas pictures posted on this forum as well as every one I could find on the net I tend to agree. It does looks as though the ones of these that were covered or mostly covered by decorative or even plain panels and bands had a good possibility of the end of the hilt being be capped as well. Below is a picture of the hilt of a panabas that was originally posted by CharlesS (I hope you don't mind) that shows this, while having the same amount of bands (though these are silver where mine are brass) securing the blade to the haft, as well has having decorative panels that look to be very close if not identical to the ones used on mine. Comments on this as well as any other information you can offer would be greatly appreciated. My thanks to those who have commented so far. Robert P.S. I have added a picture of this new panabas with his brother who has been living with my wife and I for a few months now. Attached Images Last edited by Robert Coleman; 27th March 2012 at 08:54 PM.

22nd March 2012, 05:25 PM	#1
Sajen Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Germany, Dortmund Posts: 9,353	Hello Robert, now I am a little bit green with envy! Very nice panabas, congratulation! A panabas is very up on my wish list. Do you plan to clean the blade and give it an etch? Regards, Detlef

22nd March 2012, 11:28 PM	#2
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,339	Nice piece. Hard to determine age on this. I would guess at 1910s to 1920s. It is Maranao in origin (possibly Maguindanao but leaning more Maranao) according to the okir I see in the bands.

24th March 2012, 12:26 AM	#4
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,339	Certainly it would reflect the status of the datu to whom it ultimately belongs (one of his retainers would actually be holding the piece).

24th March 2012, 01:04 AM	#5
Ferguson Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Kernersville, NC, USA Posts: 793	That's really cool. Great piece. Steve