Garuda Kris

[Gavin Nugent]

Another for reference.

[kino]

Blade - 17.75 in.
Pommel - carabao horn

[xasterix]

When I encountered this kris, I immediately remembered this thread and my assertion that the figural may be a naga, or snake. I encountered this pre-WW2 Maguindanao kris blade with a Maranao hilt (sorry I wasn't able to snap a pic of the whole blade). The snake is clearly depicted here

[Ian]

Hi Xas,

Good to see you posting another interesting kris. The snake (naga) motif on Maranao pieces in particular seems well established, but I think it may not go back very far. I posted a decorative 20th C gunong with a distinct naga hilt a while ago here. I'm wondering whether your kris might fall into the same category.

The hilt appears to be very flattened in thr plane of the blade, limiting the way in which it can be held. Uncommon orientation for a kris which usually has a circular cross-section. Do you think the hilt has a particular spiritual meaning?

Regards, Ian.

[xasterix]

Originally Posted by Ian

Hi Xas,

Good to see you posting another interesting kris. The snake (naga) motif on Maranao pieces in particular seems well established, but I think it may not go back very far. I posted a decorative 20th C gunong with a distinct naga hilt a while ago here. I'm wondering whether your kris might fall into the same category.

The hilt appears to be very flattened in thr plane of the blade, limiting the way in which it can be held. Uncommon orientation for a kris which usually has a circular cross-section. Do you think the hilt has a particular spiritual meaning?

Regards, Ian.

Halloo Ian! I think the pommel represents either lineage or political alignment. I'm betting it was made sometime pre-war, most conservative estimate would be postwar.

[Ian]

Xasterix,

Another of these snake-headed kris showed up in a Philippines auction recently. It was part of a large lot of ivory-hilted kris and gunong that I posted about here.
Below is a picture of that item taken from the auction site.
.