Philippine Sword?

Athanase · 25th June 2021, 03:07 PM

The face (ofen with fangs and a mane) are very common on hilt of javanese Pedang lurus.
In this case the face on the hook of the scabbard looks like a lion drawn by someone who has never seen one. On the hilt It's a mix between a human face and a lion.
I think that is the lion of the dutch crown, moreover the guard is typically in western style.
So, it's clearly a fitting from the colonial period with many characteristics and symbols of European origins.

But this is my personal interpretation.

A. G. Maisey · 25th June 2021, 10:03 PM

That is a solid suggestion Athanase, the Dutch Lion is a recurring motif during the period we're looking at, it is found in objects related to the Dutch overlords, both government and private, and also on objects that were associated with Javanese lords who had aligned themselves with the Dutch.

All the Dutch Lion representations I have seen look much more like an animal than the motif on this sword does, but as you say, perhaps the product of a provincial hand and with no picture to guide. Why not?

However, if we are prepared to accept a lion relationship, and I for one am, why not a humanoid figure with a lord represented as lion? This is extremely common artistic practice in Jawa, and has been for a very long time.

25th June 2021, 03:07 PM	#1
Athanase Member Join Date: Mar 2016 Location: Paris (France) Posts: 429	The face (ofen with fangs and a mane) are very common on hilt of javanese Pedang lurus. In this case the face on the hook of the scabbard looks like a lion drawn by someone who has never seen one. On the hilt It's a mix between a human face and a lion. I think that is the lion of the dutch crown, moreover the guard is typically in western style. So, it's clearly a fitting from the colonial period with many characteristics and symbols of European origins. But this is my personal interpretation.

25th June 2021, 10:03 PM	#2
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 7,085	That is a solid suggestion Athanase, the Dutch Lion is a recurring motif during the period we're looking at, it is found in objects related to the Dutch overlords, both government and private, and also on objects that were associated with Javanese lords who had aligned themselves with the Dutch. All the Dutch Lion representations I have seen look much more like an animal than the motif on this sword does, but as you say, perhaps the product of a provincial hand and with no picture to guide. Why not? However, if we are prepared to accept a lion relationship, and I for one am, why not a humanoid figure with a lord represented as lion? This is extremely common artistic practice in Jawa, and has been for a very long time.