Luzon bolo for identification

Sajen · 13th July 2023, 09:04 PM

I am in the process of cataloging my Luzon blades and am not 100% sure about this piece. Laguna? Any help is very welcome. As well for the estimated age.
51 cm long, blade 34.7 cm, thickness at the spine of the blade behind the handle 9 mm.

xasterix · 14th July 2023, 04:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sajen

I am in the process of cataloging my Luzon blades and am not 100% sure about this piece. Laguna? Any help is very welcome. As well for the estimated age.
51 cm long, blade 34.7 cm, thickness at the spine of the blade behind the handle 9 mm.

Halloo! This is definitely Tagalog. Based on similar marked samples I've seen, this is likely from Meycauayan, Bulacan, these types already existed late 1800s (with samples provenanced SpanAm war). As for the blade profile...I'll try to remember what it's called

Sajen · 14th July 2023, 10:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xasterix

Halloo! This is definitely Tagalog. Based on similar marked samples I've seen, this is likely from Meycauayan, Bulacan, these types already existed late 1800s (with samples provenanced SpanAm war). As for the blade profile...I'll try to remember what it's called

Hello Xas,

I've hoped that you respond! Thank you very much.

Have you an age guess for this bolo?

Best regards,
Detlef

Sajen · 14th July 2023, 12:07 PM

Here a picture together with my other middle sized bolos from Luzon.
From up to down:
1. Pampanga, Apalit
2. Ilocos Sur
3. Pampanga
4. Bulacan, Meycauayan
5. Pampanga
6. Ilocos Norte
7. Pangasinan

Correct me when I am wrong!

Sajen · 14th July 2023, 12:22 PM

And here with scabbards, so far present.

JeffS · 14th July 2023, 01:13 PM

Nice collection! You get a nice glow with the horn handles. What do you treat them with?

Sajen · 14th July 2023, 02:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JeffS

Nice collection! You get a nice glow with the horn handles. What do you treat them with?

Thank you Jeff!

Wood, horn and ivory I rub with linseed oil. The leather scabbards I polish with shoe polish.

Regards,
Detlef

xasterix · 14th July 2023, 02:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sajen

Here a picture together with my other middle sized bolos from Luzon.
From up to down:
1. Pampanga, Apalit
2. Ilocos Sur
3. Pampanga
4. Bulacan, Meycauayan
5. Pampanga
6. Ilocos Norte
7. Pangasinan

Correct me when I am wrong!

Halloo Detlef. With my current knowledge, I would classify these as:

1. Tayabas, Quezon (with that brass-encased ricasso consistently attributed to Quezon samples) - "Dahong buho" ("thin bamboo leaf") profile
2. Calasiao, Pangasinan - (sorry, haven't verified this profile yet)
3. Apalit, Pampanga - "Palang" blade profile
4. Meycauayan, Bulacan - (sorry, can't remember this blade profile just yet)
5. Tagalog area, probably Rizal (differentiated from Pampanga because of the hilt- Bulacan/Pampanga hilts usually have a bulge in the middle of the sandwich config)- "Putol na dahong kogon" ("Broken cogon leaf") profile
6. Tayabas, Quezon (hilt config, carving, guard, ricasso consistently attributed to Quezon) - "Matandang dahong palay" ("old rice leaf") blade profile
7. Calasiao, Pangasinan- "Barang" blade profile

Sajen · 14th July 2023, 02:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xasterix

Halloo Detlef. With my current knowledge, I would classify these as:

1. Tayabas, Quezon (with that brass-encased ricasso consistently attributed to Quezon samples) - "Dahong buho" ("thin bamboo leaf") profile
2. Calasiao, Pangasinan - (sorry, haven't verified this profile yet)
3. Apalit, Pampanga - "Palang" blade profile
4. Meycauayan, Bulacan - (sorry, can't remember this blade profile just yet)
5. Tagalog area, probably Rizal (differentiated from Pampanga because of the hilt- Bulacan/Pampanga hilts usually have a bulge in the middle of the sandwich config)- "Putol na dahong kogon" ("Broken cogon leaf") profile
6. Tayabas, Quezon (hilt config, carving, guard, ricasso consistently attributed to Quezon) - "Matandang dahong palay" ("old rice leaf") blade profile
7. Calasiao, Pangasinan- "Barang" blade profile

Thank you very much Xas, great help!

Regards,
Detlef

xasterix · 16th February 2024, 03:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sajen

Thank you very much Xas, great help!

Regards,
Detlef

Greetings Detlef. I just updated my knowledge thanks to some recent provenanced samples. Please bear with me as I correct some previous IDs.

1. Quezon
2. [correction] Pangasinan
3. Pampanga
4. [correction] Bulacan OR Pampanga
5. [correction] Northern Luzon
6. Quezon
7. Pangasinan

Sajen · 16th February 2024, 09:30 PM

Hello Xas,

Thank you very much for the update!

Best,
Detlef

13th July 2023, 09:04 PM	#1
Sajen Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Germany, Dortmund Posts: 8,786	Luzon bolo for identification I am in the process of cataloging my Luzon blades and am not 100% sure about this piece. Laguna? Any help is very welcome. As well for the estimated age. 51 cm long, blade 34.7 cm, thickness at the spine of the blade behind the handle 9 mm. Attached Images

14th July 2023, 12:07 PM	#4
Sajen Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Germany, Dortmund Posts: 8,786	Here a picture together with my other middle sized bolos from Luzon. From up to down: 1. Pampanga, Apalit 2. Ilocos Sur 3. Pampanga 4. Bulacan, Meycauayan 5. Pampanga 6. Ilocos Norte 7. Pangasinan Correct me when I am wrong! Attached Images Last edited by Sajen; 14th July 2023 at 12:24 PM.

14th July 2023, 12:22 PM	#5
Sajen Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Germany, Dortmund Posts: 8,786	And here with scabbards, so far present. Attached Images

14th July 2023, 01:13 PM	#6
JeffS Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Singapore Posts: 345	Nice collection! You get a nice glow with the horn handles. What do you treat them with?

16th February 2024, 09:30 PM	#11
Sajen Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Germany, Dortmund Posts: 8,786	Hello Xas, Thank you very much for the update! Best, Detlef