![]() |
![]() |
#1 |
Member
Join Date: Apr 2020
Posts: 267
|
![]()
Hi all,
Our first Bicol blade, a ginunting. With an over-all length of 32 inches, with a 23-inch blade. The hilt is made from carabao horn and the scabbard, a hardwood called balayong (barayong). But the point of interest for us is the mythical creature on the pommel. The son of the former owner informed us that according to his late father, the design on the pommel is an Onglo (hence, an Inunglo). When we started asking people who are knowledgeable on Bicol blades- they shared their opinion that the creature on the pommel might be of a 'pinaniki' design(in the semblance of a bat). But the son of the former owner insists that it is an Onglo (Onglo is a mythical beast in semblance of an ape). And looking at the flaring nosetrils- it does look like an ape (to us), ha ha. What do you think? Note: this Bicol ginunting came from Matnog, Sorsogon. Enjoy, Yves |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#2 |
Member
Join Date: Jul 2021
Posts: 51
|
![]()
Hi,
I'm no expert in Bikol blades, I've never seen a hilt design like that before. But I'll show my minasbad's hilt which also has a figure with flared nostrils, I just forgot to ask the maker the specific term when I commissioned it. I always though it's pinaniki, but I reconsidered when I saw yours. |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#3 |
Member
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Germany, Dortmund
Posts: 8,732
|
![]()
Nice and rare sword, any clue or guess how old it is?
Here are two from my collection, both are antique and very thick at spine, near the handle, 12 and 11,5 mm. Regards, Detlef |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#4 |
Member
Join Date: Apr 2020
Posts: 267
|
![]()
Hello Sir,
The son of the former owner is around 45 years of age. The father (original owner), passed at age 75. So, if the father had this blade commissioned when he was 20 years old (assuming), he was 55 when he passed. The age of the son is 45 so this blade must be in the minimum of 100 years old. But if the father had this at a much younger age of 20, then it hit the 100+ years mark. Kind regards Yves |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#5 | |
Member
Join Date: Apr 2020
Posts: 267
|
![]() Quote:
Regards Yves |
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#6 | |
Member
Join Date: Apr 2020
Posts: 267
|
![]() Quote:
The pommel of your Bicol blade is an INUNGLO (Onglo- a mythical Bicolandia beast-just like mine, that resembles an ape. In some other local folklore- it is sometimes referred to as a tikbalang, a monster with the head of a horse). Try to google what a tikbalang is. Regards Yves |
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#7 | |
Member
Join Date: Apr 2020
Posts: 267
|
![]() Quote:
According to a local bladesmith who does Bicol blades- these two are not Bicol blades. In my opinion (only mine)- they could be Aklan tenegre/tinegre talibongs. Regards Yves |
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#8 |
Member
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Germany, Dortmund
Posts: 8,732
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#9 |
Member
Join Date: Apr 2020
Posts: 267
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#10 | |
Member
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Germany, Dortmund
Posts: 8,732
|
![]() Quote:
What do you see by yourself? Compare your blade with my two blades, do you see the same blade shape? Do you don't see the same pommel style? Same scabbard style? I personally would call all three blades as binakla from the Bicol region, see this very informative thread: http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ighlight=bicol Best regards, Detlef |
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#11 | |
Member
Join Date: Oct 2018
Posts: 640
|
![]() Quote:
Aside from Bicol, there are two other places which may have made the pieces you posted- Masbate and Samar. They have been known to make figurals similar to Bicol's (and even have the minasbad blade profile). So there's the possibility that yours may have come from those areas. Yves, I don't think your blade is 100+ years old. The sure 100+ years Bicol blades would be those with D-guards and old-school figurals. If basing on the samples gathered by the minasbad researcher / trader known as The Minasbad Shop, your sample would be around WW2 era. |
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#12 |
Vikingsword Staff
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: The Aussie Bush
Posts: 4,167
|
![]()
Another example of similar style. I don't have better pictures at present, but will try to post details of the hilt shortly. The hilt looks like a bat to me.
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#13 | ||
Member
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Germany, Dortmund
Posts: 8,732
|
![]() Quote:
You were the one who has identified this type of sword as binakla, yes there are slight differences in the handle styles but generally they could get named as inaso, dog or bat style. Blade style is by nearly all examples (this thread and the one I posted) nearly similar. So when one gets called binakla I call a very similar sword as well as binakla, also when it gets called in Masbate or Samar differently. It's a cultural and linguistic related region. So when a knowledgeable person would say it's very similar but maybe from Masbate or Samar but simply saying it's for sur not Bicol at last is courageous IMVHO. ![]() ![]() Quote:
Regards, Detlef Last edited by Sajen; 20th October 2021 at 05:39 PM. |
||
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#14 |
Vikingsword Staff
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: The Aussie Bush
Posts: 4,167
|
![]()
Here are the additional pictures of the blade I posted above. The thickness of the spine just in front of the hilt is 8.5 mm measured with a micrometer. The width of the blade tapers quickly moving away from the hilt, and the cutting area of the blade is about 3-4 mm wide for much of its length, tapering further to 1-2 mm wide near the tip. The clipped spine has a sharp back edge for about 20 cm. Both the regular and back edges are razor sharp and symmetrically V-ground (not chisel-ground). The regular cutting edge has been quench hardened.
The hilt has finger cut outs and what appears to be a bat's head for the pommel. The hilt is full tang. Length of blade = 48.0 cm (18.9 in), length of hilt = 13.8 cm (5.4 in). . |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#15 | |
Member
Join Date: Apr 2020
Posts: 267
|
![]() Quote:
I've done some searching and queries. I may have a solid answer to the question on hand. But I need you to send me some pics of the 'BARAT' or the TANG RIVET. This (and some other aspects of the blade), according to a very knowledeable person on Bicol blades would determine the answer to our questions. The 'barat' is the rivet at the tip of the hilt. Regards Yves |
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#16 | |
Member
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Germany, Dortmund
Posts: 8,732
|
![]() Quote:
First, thank you for your response! ![]() Regards, Detlef |
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#17 |
Member
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Germany, Dortmund
Posts: 8,732
|
![]()
Hi Yves,
The "barat" from my third binakla you can see by the attached pictures. Regards, Detlef |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#18 |
Member
Join Date: Apr 2020
Posts: 267
|
![]()
Hello Sir,
Will be forwarding these reference pics to my contact in Bicol. Kind regards Yves |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#19 |
Member
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Germany, Dortmund
Posts: 8,732
|
![]() Hello Yves, First, I would prefer when you call me Detlef instead of "Sir"! ![]() Secondly, thank you. ![]() And here are the pictures from the sword in above with wooden handle, like said, the barat is rotten away, I've attached some more pictures from the handle. Regards, Detlef |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#20 |
Member
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Germany, Dortmund
Posts: 8,732
|
![]()
And here the handle from the sword in down with horn handle, the barat is as well gone due corrosion but with a little bit imagination you can see the form and where it was situated.
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#21 |
Member
Join Date: Apr 2020
Posts: 267
|
![]()
Hello Detlef,
Here are some inputs from my contact in Bicol: 1) the blade profile is indeed a 'binakla,'- even in the absence of a 'manok-manok' (serrations on the blade). A minasbad indeed; 2) It might have been forged in the Province of Sorsogon (that's in the Bicol Region). Now looking where Sorsogon is (southernmost part of Bicol)- your blade certainly have a very clear Visayan influence (your third binakla). This 3rd binakla blade has a kinabayo hilt- with, of course, a ginunting blade; 3) But the scabbard on the 3rd binakla is not Bicol. But rather of 'Visayan influence' as made mention in # 3. It would have been much nicer, he says, if the scabbard is Bicol; Hope this clears the air a little bit. ha ha ha. All the best, Yves |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#22 |
Member
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Germany, Dortmund
Posts: 8,732
|
![]()
Thank you Yves!
![]() Regards, Detlef |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
|
|