Filipino blade - what do I have here?

[kai]

Hello Robert,

Because of the overall styling and degree of craftsmanship shown (not only in the hilts carving) I would agree with your dating this piece to the end of the 19th century to early 20th century.

Thanks for chiming in! I've been slow to respond to the comments...

BTW, have you come across any similar "maker's mark" on Luzon blades?

Also as I forgot to mention earlier, the copper pin you ask about is most likely for decorative purposes only and that originally each individual flower both near the ferrule and butt cap would have held one.

Yup, I also forgot to mention this possibility - thanks for reminding me!

It certainly would look neat and be more in line with the horn hilts decorated with pins of silver/etc.; a copper pin may also be too soft to really secure a blade...

It just seemed odd to me that only these 2 pins survived though. Maybe I should get a x-ray done to put that idea to rest...

Regards,
Kai

[Robert]

It would seem a bit redundant to have a single soft copper pin go through the tang (weakening it by drilling) when it already extends completely through the hilt and butt plate and is then peened to secure the blade. With this piece sporting silver fittings you might have the pin checked to see if it isn't a low grade gold alloy instead of copper. This might also explain why most of them are now missing.

Best,
Robert

[kai]

Hello Robert,

It would seem a bit redundant to have a single soft copper pin go through the tang (weakening it by drilling) when it already extends completely through the hilt and butt plate and is then peened to secure the blade.

Yeah, I agree that wouldn't make sense with a peened tang.

With this piece sporting silver fittings you might have the pin checked to see if it isn't a low grade gold alloy instead of copper. This might also explain why most of them are now missing.

Thanks for the good idea - might well be red gold or decent suasa: No tarnishing visible with them while the silver retains quite some old tarnish...

I'll report back when I manage to obtain sound results!

Regards,
Kai

[Robert]

The final fitting the tang extends through before being peened looks a bit yellow in your photos as well, so you might want to have it checked at the same time as the pins.

[kai]

Yes, will do, Robert!

Not keeping my breath though since this seems like a rather weird place for a soft metal. Thanks for sharing your thoughts though!

Regards,
Kai

[Ian]

Hi Kai,

Just to throw another possibility into the mix. Chisel-edged blades were also made in Batangas, according to information provided a decade or more ago by our friend Zelbone. Finely carved horn hilts were also seen from there in the late 19th and early 20th C. Batangas is not far from Laguna de Pays, so I think that general area south of Manila is where your knife originated.

I think you have a Tagalog knife with some Visayan influence in the blade, and Batangas is an area where that overlap can occur.

Ian.

[Battara]

Ian I wondered about that influence myself.

[kai]

For comparison, I'm adding a regular Luzon blade from possibly the same period; the hilt is the same type as in Robert's example while the blade has a symmetrical bevel (i. e. no chisel grind). [Please excuse the poor pic quality. I traded it with a forumite a long time ago.]

BTW, this common plain hilt type always seems to have 7 facets (which is also reflected in the ferrule).

The ornately-carved hilt has an octagonal ferrule as well as pommel plate though; also the neighboring flowers number 8.

Regards,
Kai
--
Specs:
Length: 492 mm (19.4")
Blade length: 334 mm (13.15")
Blade max. width: 46 mm (1.81")
Blade max. thickness: 8 mm (5/16")
Hilt: 160 mm (6.3")
weight: 598 g