A mandau with brass hilt for sharing and comment

[kai]

Hello Detlef,

Congrats, nice find!

I agree that it's not African and that the scabbard looks like a later replacement...

Some of the hilt motifs seem to hint at coastal Malay influence - I'd first check among the ethnic groups of Brunei.

The blade seems of good quality - might be traded from the mountains. How thick is it?

Regards,
Kai

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by kai

Some of the hilt motifs seem to hint at coastal Malay influence - I'd first check among the ethnic groups of Brunei.

Hello Kai,
Thank you! And a good hint that it could originate from coastal Malay/Brunei of Borneo.

Originally Posted by kai

The blade seems of good quality - might be traded from the mountains. How thick is it?

Yes, it's certainly a good blade, it's 8 mm thick behind the handle at the spine.

Regards,
Detlef

[JeffS]

Very interesting looking and a lucky find! What is the clear tip off that the scabbard is later?

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by JeffS

Very interesting looking and a lucky find! What is the clear tip off that the scabbard is later?

Hello Jeff,

Thank you!
There is not the clear tip but some hints, also when I am not an expert by Borneo weapons I have handled some very nice and old swords and seeing a lot more online.
The scabbard in question is minimum old, see by the attached pictures the cracks in the rotan, a clear sign of good age.
By the following pictures you see first the rotan binding from the scabbard in question and next a binding by a very old scabbard. Antique bindings are very refined, compare.
Another sign is the overall patination, color and the feeling in hand.
Try to look to old collections, there you can handle the objects, visit museums, look online but don't believe all what there is told.
Look to the pages of art dealers, it's a long learning process.

Best regards,
Detlef

[JeffS]

Originally Posted by Sajen

Hello Jeff,

Thank you!
There is not the clear tip but some hints, also when I am not an expert by Borneo weapons I have handled some very nice and old swords and seeing a lot more online.
The scabbard in question is minimum old, see by the attached pictures the cracks in the rotan, a clear sign of good age.
By the following pictures you see first the rotan binding from the scabbard in question and next a binding by a very old scabbard. Antique bindings are very refined, compare.
Another sign is the overall patination, color and the feeling in hand.
Try to look to old collections, there you can handle the objects, visit museums, look online but don't believe all what there is told.
Look to the pages of art dealers, it's a long learning process.

Best regards,
Detlef

Very helpful, thank you. My eye is getting better, particularly with types I am more familiar with, but I have a long way to go.

[kino]

I’ve seen plenty of Mandau’s in the Forum pages and on-line but never with a brass hilt. A first look for me. Very nice, thanks for sharing.

I have seen and handled a Balato with a brass hilt, well just 1, maybe brass casted hilts is more common with Nias than Borneo.

[kai]

Hello Albert,

full-size Nias swords with brass hilts are rare; brass hilts with daggers/knives are really common though.

Both Sumatra and Borneo have their share of brass hilts, too - remember the Iban dukn I referred to. Mandau with brass hilts are certainly very rare: Note that the design and decor are not typical - I'm pretty sure it's Malay(-influenced).

Regards,
Kai

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by kino

I’ve seen plenty of Mandau’s in the Forum pages and on-line but never with a brass hilt. A first look for me. Very nice, thanks for sharing.

I have seen and handled a Balato with a brass hilt, well just 1, maybe brass casted hilts is more common with Nias than Borneo.

Thank you Albert! It's the same to me, it's the first mandau I've seen with brass handle. I've read about but never seen one pictured.
Like Kai wrote, there are knives and daggers with brass handles by the Nias tribes but only a few swords with them.

Regards,
Detlef