Sulu kris with ivory horse hoof pommel

Sajen · 21st May 2014, 10:43 AM

Hello Dave,

agree with Barry, a pleasure to look at, a shame that some of the mother of pearl pieces missing from the scabbard. But other as Barry I think that the blade is a little bit roughtly worked, maybe a sign that the blade is a little bit later as you thought?

Is the gangya separate?
The handle is beautiful and the silver plate over the gangya is an extra plus.

Regards,
Detlef

CharlesS · 21st May 2014, 11:42 AM

Hi Dave,

Another good looking piece! Is the ganja here chiseled in or real? It's hard to tell from the pics and there is clearly lots of chiseled lines elsewhere.

DaveS · 21st May 2014, 06:48 PM

Hey guys: It's a two piece gangya. That's why i feel, given the overall look, that it might be a piece from the 20s, or maybe even a little earlier.......Dave.

Sajen · 21st May 2014, 08:48 PM

So maybe a pre WWII blade.

BTW, is someone able to explain why by nearly all scabbards of this newer type with MOP plates the front is reverse to the older ones?

Regards,
Detlef

David · 22nd May 2014, 03:05 PM

Just wondering…for a blade that has some fairly complex and reasonably executed carving, why are the incised lines around the fullers so sloppy. Doesn't look like the hand of the original maker. Could these lines have been added later?

DaveS · 22nd May 2014, 06:45 PM

David: Yes, you could be right. The inscised line are definitely not done to the same standards as the rest of the blade. Only question is, are these lines and the centipede??? like engraving done by the same person? Looks to me that the quality of both indicates they were done by two different people.......Dave.

David · 22nd May 2014, 09:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaveS

…the centipede??? like engraving…

I must say i'm a bit skeptical this was intended to be a centipede. It doesn't look like any of the other more obvious centipede markings i've seen on these blades, even the simplest renderings of the bug. It looks more like a tree or something more plant-like. I don't see anything like pinchers, even in a extremely stylized manner, that would lead me to think centipede. Doesn't mean the "tree" (if it is that) doesn't still have some talismanic purpose. I do think, however, that we are sometimes too quick to ascribe every little line and design on a blade as "talismanic".

21st May 2014, 10:43 AM	#1
Sajen Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Germany, Dortmund Posts: 9,164	Hello Dave, agree with Barry, a pleasure to look at, a shame that some of the mother of pearl pieces missing from the scabbard. But other as Barry I think that the blade is a little bit roughtly worked, maybe a sign that the blade is a little bit later as you thought? Is the gangya separate? The handle is beautiful and the silver plate over the gangya is an extra plus. Regards, Detlef

21st May 2014, 11:42 AM	#2
CharlesS Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Greenville, NC Posts: 1,854	Hi Dave, Another good looking piece! Is the ganja here chiseled in or real? It's hard to tell from the pics and there is clearly lots of chiseled lines elsewhere.

21st May 2014, 06:48 PM	#3
DaveS Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 327	Hey guys: It's a two piece gangya. That's why i feel, given the overall look, that it might be a piece from the 20s, or maybe even a little earlier.......Dave.

21st May 2014, 08:48 PM	#4
Sajen Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Germany, Dortmund Posts: 9,164	So maybe a pre WWII blade. BTW, is someone able to explain why by nearly all scabbards of this newer type with MOP plates the front is reverse to the older ones? Regards, Detlef

22nd May 2014, 03:05 PM	#5
David Keris forum moderator Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Nova Scotia Posts: 7,211	Just wondering…for a blade that has some fairly complex and reasonably executed carving, why are the incised lines around the fullers so sloppy. Doesn't look like the hand of the original maker. Could these lines have been added later?

22nd May 2014, 06:45 PM	#6
DaveS Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 327	David: Yes, you could be right. The inscised line are definitely not done to the same standards as the rest of the blade. Only question is, are these lines and the centipede??? like engraving done by the same person? Looks to me that the quality of both indicates they were done by two different people.......Dave.