Ivory Hilt Barong from Borneo

Battara · 25th June 2016, 11:33 PM

Oh I totally agree with you Charles. I too would say that all of the mounts were made more recently.

Looking at the way the flat bands were made, they were done in thicker silver, and not traditionally hand made. However, the ferrule looks more hand made and may be original.

I would also say the same of the woven silver bands. Although they are twisted silver, Sulu region Moros had a specialty of interweaving the twisted wire, using a smaller wire thickness.

Charles I also see your point regarding the terminal tail - looks cut off.

Battara · 25th June 2016, 11:47 PM

Aslan Paladin, regarding your question of the Moro blades with Bali hilts.

I would submit that later owners who were world travelers or even un-educated collectors bought these Balinese keris hilts (which would more easily fit a Moro tang than a Javanese keris hilt) and mated them to Moro blades.

There are even some collectors (and dealers) who don't bother to make a difference between Indonesian keris and Moro kris (and Malay sundang).

VANDOO · 26th June 2016, 02:10 AM

I HAD THE SAME FEELINGS ABOUT SEVERAL ITEMS IN THIS AUCTION AND REFRAINED FROM BIDDING ON SOME ITEMS AS A RESULT. THE BORNEO BARONG WAS ONE OF THOSE ITEMS. AESTHETICALLY IT IS QUITE PLEASING TO THE EYE AND UNIQUE IN MY EXPERIENCE BUT SOMETHING JUST DOESN'T SEEM RIGHT.

WAS IT MADE AND USED IN THE MORO OR DAYAK CULTURE OR A FANCY INTERPRETATION WITH DIFFERENT CULTURES COMBINED AS IN THE BALI-MORO KRIS AND PERHAPS PUT TOGETHER IN SOME OTHER COUNTRY BY CRAFTSMEN WHO WERE NEITHER DAYAK OR MORO.

I DO LIKE THE LOOK OF THE BARONG AND THE TWO MORO-BALI KRIS BUT THEY MAY BE SAID TO BE PUT TOGETHER, FANTASY OR ARTISTIC LICENCE ITEMS. I DID WIN TWO ITEMS IN THIS AUCTION SO WILL AT LEAST BE ABLE TO JUDGE THEM WHEN THEY ARRIVE AND PERHAPS THEY MAY HAVE COME FROM THE SAME COLLECTIONS .

Aslan Paladin · 26th June 2016, 07:53 AM

Although inappropriately altered, I must admit the Moro Kris saber blade is absolutely stunning with the twist core pattern and the exquisite fullering. Just imagine what it could have looked like with its original hilt.

kino · 26th June 2016, 03:02 PM

That twist core Kris blade is beautiful. An unusual blade profile with a twist core makes it a rare variant, in my opinion. It would be hard to find a proper hilt for it.

Battara · 26th June 2016, 10:15 PM

I thought about going for that unusual kris blade just for the blade, but alas no money at present...

Aslan Paladin · 26th June 2016, 11:07 PM

Me too, I wanted to go after it for the blade alone but the winning bid was just too much to overcome.

25th June 2016, 11:33 PM	#1
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,325	Oh I totally agree with you Charles. I too would say that all of the mounts were made more recently. Looking at the way the flat bands were made, they were done in thicker silver, and not traditionally hand made. However, the ferrule looks more hand made and may be original. I would also say the same of the woven silver bands. Although they are twisted silver, Sulu region Moros had a specialty of interweaving the twisted wire, using a smaller wire thickness. Charles I also see your point regarding the terminal tail - looks cut off.

25th June 2016, 11:47 PM	#2
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,325	Aslan Paladin, regarding your question of the Moro blades with Bali hilts. I would submit that later owners who were world travelers or even un-educated collectors bought these Balinese keris hilts (which would more easily fit a Moro tang than a Javanese keris hilt) and mated them to Moro blades. There are even some collectors (and dealers) who don't bother to make a difference between Indonesian keris and Moro kris (and Malay sundang).

26th June 2016, 02:10 AM	#3
VANDOO (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: OKLAHOMA, USA Posts: 3,138	I HAD THE SAME FEELINGS ABOUT SEVERAL ITEMS IN THIS AUCTION AND REFRAINED FROM BIDDING ON SOME ITEMS AS A RESULT. THE BORNEO BARONG WAS ONE OF THOSE ITEMS. AESTHETICALLY IT IS QUITE PLEASING TO THE EYE AND UNIQUE IN MY EXPERIENCE BUT SOMETHING JUST DOESN'T SEEM RIGHT. WAS IT MADE AND USED IN THE MORO OR DAYAK CULTURE OR A FANCY INTERPRETATION WITH DIFFERENT CULTURES COMBINED AS IN THE BALI-MORO KRIS AND PERHAPS PUT TOGETHER IN SOME OTHER COUNTRY BY CRAFTSMEN WHO WERE NEITHER DAYAK OR MORO. I DO LIKE THE LOOK OF THE BARONG AND THE TWO MORO-BALI KRIS BUT THEY MAY BE SAID TO BE PUT TOGETHER, FANTASY OR ARTISTIC LICENCE ITEMS. I DID WIN TWO ITEMS IN THIS AUCTION SO WILL AT LEAST BE ABLE TO JUDGE THEM WHEN THEY ARRIVE AND PERHAPS THEY MAY HAVE COME FROM THE SAME COLLECTIONS .

26th June 2016, 07:53 AM	#4
Aslan Paladin Member Join Date: Oct 2015 Location: Te Aroha, New Zealand Posts: 122	Although inappropriately altered, I must admit the Moro Kris saber blade is absolutely stunning with the twist core pattern and the exquisite fullering. Just imagine what it could have looked like with its original hilt.

26th June 2016, 03:02 PM	#5
kino Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 1,020	That twist core Kris blade is beautiful. An unusual blade profile with a twist core makes it a rare variant, in my opinion. It would be hard to find a proper hilt for it.

26th June 2016, 10:15 PM	#6
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,325	I thought about going for that unusual kris blade just for the blade, but alas no money at present...

26th June 2016, 11:07 PM	#7
Aslan Paladin Member Join Date: Oct 2015 Location: Te Aroha, New Zealand Posts: 122	Me too, I wanted to go after it for the blade alone but the winning bid was just too much to overcome.