Dayak shields

[VANDOO]

HERE ARE PICTURES OF MY TO GOOD EXAMPLES.
THE FIRST ONE IS FROM HEADHUNTER DAYS AND SHOWS HEAVY PATINA AND SOME WEAR IT IS A BIT FRAGILE 40.5 INCH X 11.5 INCHES. YOU CAN SEE WHAT I MEAN ABOUT THE LIGHT CARVING OF JUST THE LINES ON THE DESIGN. THIS SHIELD IS FESTOONED WITH HUMAN HAIR, THE HAIR IS NOT AS HEAVY AS SOME SHIELDS SO PERHAPS FROM A EARLIER TIME OR DIFFERENT TRIBAL GROUP .
THE SECOND ONE IS ONE OF THE ONES CARVED IN FULL RELIEF AND PAINTED WITH MODERN PAINTS NOT NATURAL PIGMENTS AS IN THE FIRST EXAMPLE. IT WAS MADE FOR SOME SPECIAL OCCASION IN KUCHING SABAH, BORNEO OVER 80 YEARS AGO. IT IS 60 X 15 INCHES. I BOUGHT IT IN KUCHING AROUND 12 YEARS AGO.

[VANDOO]

THIS IS THE LAST OF MY PICTURES OF OLDER WELL DONE SHIELDS. THE FIRST PICTURE IS A CLOSEUP OF THE DETAIL ON THE LAST SHIELD IN THE PREVIOUS POST WITH LOTS OF PICTURES. TWO PICTURES OF ANOTHER SHIELD.

[asomotif]

My latest acquisition.

Collected pre WW2 by a dutch Sergeant.

[Battara]

I thank you folks for indulging my ignorance.

I have seen examples with multicolored modern paints. Easy to see these modern works of art (though some are not so much art ).

Patina of course will often tell of some age. This we all understand. However, some older examples are in such great condition that there is not much patina on them.

Your knowledge has helped me much.

[Maurice]

Originally Posted by asomotif

My latest acquisition.

Collected pre WW2 by a dutch Sergeant.

Great to have the provenance with it Willem.
I specially like the two ridges on both sides all over the length in the line of the handle....

[Maurice]

Originally Posted by Battara

However, some older examples are in such great condition that there is not much patina on them.

They have to be early collected pieces Jose.
I agree that this is a great thread to share our dayak shields....

[asomotif]

Originally Posted by Maurice

Great to have the provenance with it Willem.
I specially like the two ridges on both sides all over the length in the line of the handle....

Yes, I like the back too.
Never seen such a ridge where they carved it this way.

Here close up of the face. Note structure of the paint, Also note the structure of the wood near the eye. It is the same wood as which you see with good old Hudocq masks.

I wonder if there are other forumites who can add pictures of their shields

[Maurice]

Originally Posted by asomotif

I wonder if there are other forumites who can add pictures of their shields

I can add a very interesting one, in the Rijksmuseum Amsterdam collection.
This one was collected in december 1876, and is in the Rijksmuseum collection since 1900.

[VANDOO]

I AM ADDING A FEW MORE PICTURES. I HOPE I DON'T DUPLICATE ANY OR HAVE PICTURES WITH INCORRECT INFORMATION BUT PERHAPS THOSE WITH MORE KNOWLEDGE CAN STRAIGHTEN OUT ANY MISTAKES I MAKE.
THE FIRST PICTURE ILLUSTRATES PROBLEMS WE MAY ENCOUNTER WITH SET UP PICTURES.
#1 STATES DAYAK OR MURUT BORNEO AND IS A OLD PICTURE. BUT MOST OF IT LOOKS TO HAVE BEEN MADE UP WITH WHATEVER THE PHOTOGRAPHER HAD ON HAND. THE SHIELD IS NOT A REAL ONE AND NOT FROM BORNEO AT ALL PERHAPS A CHEAP AFRICAN SMALL SOUVENIR? SO HOW MUCH OF WHAT WE SEE CAN WE REALLY TRUST. I INCLUDE IT AS A EXAMPLE OF HOW PICTURES AND PAINTINGS CAN OFTEN LEAD US ASTRAY.
#2. THIS PHOTO ILLUSTRATES ANOTHER SORT OF ARTISTIC LICENCE. I ESPECIALLY LIKE THESE DRAWINGS AND GROUP PHOTOS OF ITEMS. SOMETIMES THEY MIX ITEMS GEOGRAPHICALLY OR WITH DIFFERENT GROUPS OR TRIBES. BUT THESE ARE PRIMARILY DONE AS A SORT OF DISPLAY AND DEPENDING ON THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE PEOPLE DOING IT AND WHAT ITEMS THEY HAVE ON HAND. THEY CAN BE GOOD REPRESENTATIONS OF ETHNOGRAPHIC TRIBAL MATERIAL OR A MIXED UP HODGE-PODGE OF ITEMS. I LIKE IT EITHER WAY BUT I THINK THIS PICTURE IS MOSTLY ACCURATE AS FAR AS THE ITEMS REPRESENTED ARE ALL DAYAK AND PERHAPS FROM THE SAME TRIBE. I DOUBT THAT SUCH A DISPLAY EVER ADORNED ANY LONG HOUSE IN BORNEO BUT IT IS A EYE CATCHER. NOTE WAR JACKETS DRAPED OVER SHIELDS WITH SKULL ON TOP IT LOOKS LIKE SOMETHING HOLLYWOOD WOULD USE IN A INDIANA JONES MOVIE BUT I LIKE IT.
#3. OLD DRAWING FROM BOOK, SAGHAI, DAYAK WARRIOR
#4. IBAN WARRIORS
#5., #6, #7., #8 & #9. VARIOUS DAYAK WITH SHIELDS
#10. 1880 DAYAK WARRIORS
#11. 1904 DAYAK
#12. 1933 DAYAK

[VANDOO]

A FEW MORE PICTURES #1. OLD DRAWING OF DAYAK WARRIOR
#2. 1899 MAHAKAM RIVER, NOW INDONESIAN BORNEO.
#3. OLD PICTURE DAYAKS
#4 &#5. DAYAK SHIELD
#6. DAYAK SHIELD WITH HAIR
#7. OLD DAYAK SHIELD FRONT AND BACK
#8. THREE OLD DAYAK SHIELDS
#9., #10, #11, & #12 OLD PICTURES DAYAK SHIELDS

[VANDOO]

#1 THRU #5 PICTURES FROM A OLD BOOK, THE FOURTH PICTURE DOWN SHOWS TWO SHIELDS FRONT AND BACK. ONE PICTURE HAS 2 PHILIPPINE SHIELDS ALONG WITH 3 DAYAK SHIELDS.
#6 AND #7 OLDER SHIELD FRONT AND BACK
#8 THRU #10 OLDER DAYAK SHIELDS
#11 AND #12 I THINK ARE MORE RECENT.

[VANDOO]

#1 & #2. MODANG PEOPLE, KUTAI TRIBE,CIRCA 1850, 120 CM. LONG
#3. KENYAH, EAST KALAMANTAN 41 IN LONG 14 IN. WIDE.
#4 THRU #8 VARIOUS I DON'T HAVE MORE INFORMATION ON THEM.
#9,#10, #11 & #12, EAST KALAMANTAN ,121 X 30 CM.

[VANDOO]

#1. CIRC 1960'S DAYAK SHIELD
#2. EAST KALAMANTAN, 121 X 30 CM. HANDLE, #3. FRONT OF SHIELD.
#4. & #5. DAYAK SHIELD
#6. THRU #12. VARIOUS SHIELDS
I THINK THESE ARE MORE RECENT SHIELDS BUT SOME STILL MAY BE ANTIQUES BUT NOT FROM THE OLD TRADITIONAL HEADHUNTING DAYS. THE WORKMANSHIP IS VERY GOOD ON SOME OF THEM AND SOME CAN BE USED AS SHIELDS NOT JUST GOOD FOR WALL HANGERS.

[VANDOO]

MORE EXAMPLES OF THE MORE MODERN DAYAK SHIELDS

[VANDOO]

PICTURES #1 THRU #4 ARE MODERN SHIELDS DONE CLOSE TO TRADITIONAL FORM.
#5. THRU #12 ARE WHAT IS BEING DONE FOR SEVERAL YEARS AND PERHAPS LONGER. THEY ARE OFTEN IN SHIELD FORM BUT ARE MORE ART THAN SHIELD OFTEN CARVED WITH PIERCED DESIGNS. THE CARVING IS WELL DONE BUT THE WOOD USED IS NOT THE SAME AS USED FOR A REAL SHIELD IT IS HEAVIER AND DARKER. THEY DO MAKE GOOD WALL HANGERS AND IF YOU LIKE WOOD CARVING THEY ARE NICE. I DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY ARE CARVING THEM.

[VANDOO]

HERE ARE A FEW MORE OF THE WALL ART CARVINGS AND THE LAST PICTURE IS OF A FANTASY SHIELD COMING OUT OF KALAMANTAN. THAT CONCLUDES MY CURRENT BACKLOG OF INFORMATION ON DAYAK SHIELDS UNTIL I CAN GET MORE PICTURES. PERHAPS SOME OF YOU CAN ADD TO THE REFERENCE OR CORRECT ME WHERE I HAVE GONE WRONG.

[Sentrad]

Here is one of my Borneo shields: Max. length 131,7 cm; length of side edges 102,2 cm / 103,2 cm; length of handle 31,7 cm; max. width 31,7 cm.
Provenance: French Collection.
Udo

[Sentrad]

Max. length 106,2 cm; length of side edges 69,1 cm / 86,4 cm; length of handle 31,7 cm; max. width 29,7 cm.

This shield looks nice, but there are l a lot of shields in this fantastic thread, which are much more spectacular. However, its provenience is interesting, it belonged to the daughter of the Dutch Ethnologist H. F. Tillema, who travelled and filmed in the Apo Kajan region. A few copies of his films still exist. He wrote a book on his travelling:
Tillema, H. F.
A Journey Among the Peoples of Central Borneo in Word and Picture
Singapore 1989, Oxford University Press (Original titel ‘Apo-Kajan. Een Filmreis naar en door Centraal-Borneo’, Amsterdam 1938, van Munsters Uitgevers).

Udo

[Dajak]

Old shield.

[Albert]

I am working on a book (text in Dutch): "Traditionele wapens van Borneo. De uitrusting van de koppensnellers" ("Traditional weapons of Borneo. The equipment of the headhunters").

Part I: "Schilden en krijgskleding" ("Shields and war clothing") is forthcoming in 2015. Approximately 110 pages on shields (with 130 photos / illustrations).

I will let you know what the publication date will be.

[VANDOO]

NICE SHIELD DAJAK ANY CHANCE OF A BETTER PICTURE OF THE DESIGN ON THE FRONT. FROM WHAT I CAN SEE THE DESIGN ON THE FRONT LOOKS UNLIKE MOST OF THE DESIGNS WE USUALLY SEE ON THESE SHIELDS.
I LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR BOOK ALBERT IT SOUNDS GOOD.

[Dajak]

Hi Albert,

I just finished my own book with pics off rare dajak weapons and other stuff, see pic off it!!




Ben

Originally Posted by Albert

I am working on a book (text in Dutch): "Traditionele wapens van Borneo. De uitrusting van de koppensnellers" ("Traditional weapons of Borneo. The equipment of the headhunters").

Part I: "Schilden en krijgskleding" ("Shields and war clothing") is forthcoming in 2015. Approximately 110 pages on shields (with 130 photos / illustrations).

I will let you know what the publication date will be.

[Dajak]

This is the best pic off the shield Vandoo....

Ben

Originally Posted by VANDOO

NICE SHIELD DAJAK ANY CHANCE OF A BETTER PICTURE OF THE DESIGN ON THE FRONT. FROM WHAT I CAN SEE THE DESIGN ON THE FRONT LOOKS UNLIKE MOST OF THE DESIGNS WE USUALLY SEE ON THESE SHIELDS.
I LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR BOOK ALBERT IT SOUNDS GOOD.

[ethelwulf]

Greetings,

I recently came in possession of a Dayak Hair Shield (although admittedly mine is in rough condition).

I acquired it from a woman in her 80’s who said that her father had been given it by a friend who either brought it back from the war or was presented it?

As far as I can figure it’s an mid to late 19th Century Dayak Kenyah Hair Shield. It matches up closely to a shield sketched in the book “Pagan Tribes of Borneo”.

It measures roughly 49”x14”

The shield clearly lived a rough life before coming into my care. It has a crack on the bottom, some old termite damage on one side and obviously some hair loss but the design is still clear and stunning especially on the reverse of the shield.

Any information or possible valuation you could offer would be much appreciated

[cel7]

To revive this old thread, here are some pictures of a klebit bok that I won at an auction last week. It's had a rough life but it appealed to me. Dimensions 125x35 cm.

[Ian]

Hi cel7,

Very nice old shield. It's missing a few bits here and there, and it's a bit dinged up, but that's what you would expect with a genuinely old piece that has been around for a while and seen some use. Great catch.

[cel7]

Originally Posted by Ian

Hi cel7,

Very nice old shield. It's missing a few bits here and there, and it's a bit dinged up, but that's what you would expect with a genuinely old piece that has been around for a while and seen some use. Great catch.

Thanks Ian, it has indeed suffered a bit.

[asomotif]

That is a nice shield. I immediately recognized it. I bought it from Artzi over 10 years ago.

http://www.oriental-arms.co.il/photos.php?id=2738

[cel7]

Originally Posted by asomotif

That is a nice shield. I immediately recognized it. I bought it from Artzi over 10 years ago.

http://www.oriental-arms.co.il/photos.php?id=2738

Wow that's a nice surprise. I didn't see that one coming. Did you put it up for auction a few weeks ago?

[asomotif]

No, I sold it years ago, The buyer was not someone I knew.
I am not sure if he bought it for his collection of for trade.