A plain old Sundang for comment

Ferguson · 29th July 2006, 03:05 AM

I was a bit worried about this one. The fact that I won it with a bid much lower than they've been selling for lately had me thinking that it might be junk.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...MEWN%3AIT&rd=1

But it's a nice "armoury grade" sundang. The pommel is nice wood. Interestingly the whole hilt isn't made of the same wood. Cost saving? Baca baca are copper or copper alloy. Blade is in pretty good shape, and sharp, and thirsty for blood.

Still have most of my little finger.

Light lamination and hardened edges. Separate gangya. It's going to take some work to put it back together, but should be a fun project. One nickel silver band, some are probably lost.
Thanks for any comments or info.

Two pictures as received.

Blade after cleaning and light etching.

Ferguson · 29th July 2006, 03:07 AM

Tang

philkid · 29th July 2006, 04:19 AM

IMO its a nice piece. You just have to have the hilt wrapped with something nice like rattan.

Flavio · 29th July 2006, 10:57 AM

Hello Steve, i like it!!! Congrats

utami · 9th August 2006, 04:58 AM

hei, steve. it is nice to have one like yours

Good shape, and look sharp to me.
Congrats

Emanuel · 9th August 2006, 05:14 AM

Very nice sword! I really ought to get one.

Does the lack of rhon-dha/greneng occur often in these kris? Or was this blade perhaps left unfinished?

Emanuel

Rick · 9th August 2006, 03:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Manolo

Very nice sword! I really ought to get one.

Does the lack of rhon-dha/greneng occur often in these kris? Or was this blade perhaps left unfinished?

Emanuel

I have seen this lack of greneng before but I have no knowlege of the reason ; I don't believe that this is all that common .
If we follow Cato's typology (shudder) this is a Maranao kris ; my Maranao example has the greneng cut in.

Rick

Ian · 9th August 2006, 04:50 PM

When I visited one of my regular local sword dealers in Manila a few eyars ago, he had a similar kris without the filework on the greneng. He said this was likely a kris made in a hurry for someone, such as for an imminent conflict, and that it was lost before the greneng could be completed. Makes sense, but who knows if it applies here.

Ian.

RobT · 10th August 2006, 04:24 AM

Hi Ferguson,
Thanks for posting the picture of your hilt. I have one very much like it but the pommel is missing. There is a square hole in the back of my hilt that the pommel must have plugged into. My hilt is of rectangular section like yours and has a silver band to cover the hilt/pommel gap as does yours. The wrapping on my hilt is missing but there is a curious copper ferrule that extends down slightly over the sides of the ganja. One other odd thing, there is a piece of old, thin but coarse cloth in the pommel plug hole. I don't see any evidence of glue on the cloth. could it be that the pommel plug was wrapped in the cloth and pressure fit into the hilt in the same fashion as a keris blade is cloth wrapped and fitted to the hilt?
Sincerely,
RobT

Bill M · 10th August 2006, 11:48 AM

Steve,

Looks like a solid, honest old user, not you, but the sundang!

Congratulations on getting it. Blade looks good. A worthwhile restoration project!

29th July 2006, 03:05 AM	#1
Ferguson Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Kernersville, NC, USA Posts: 793	A plain old Sundang for comment I was a bit worried about this one. The fact that I won it with a bid much lower than they've been selling for lately had me thinking that it might be junk. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...MEWN%3AIT&rd=1 But it's a nice "armoury grade" sundang. The pommel is nice wood. Interestingly the whole hilt isn't made of the same wood. Cost saving? Baca baca are copper or copper alloy. Blade is in pretty good shape, and sharp, and thirsty for blood. Still have most of my little finger. Light lamination and hardened edges. Separate gangya. It's going to take some work to put it back together, but should be a fun project. One nickel silver band, some are probably lost. Thanks for any comments or info. Two pictures as received. Blade after cleaning and light etching.

10th August 2006, 04:24 AM	#9
RobT Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 488	Thanks for the info Hi Ferguson, Thanks for posting the picture of your hilt. I have one very much like it but the pommel is missing. There is a square hole in the back of my hilt that the pommel must have plugged into. My hilt is of rectangular section like yours and has a silver band to cover the hilt/pommel gap as does yours. The wrapping on my hilt is missing but there is a curious copper ferrule that extends down slightly over the sides of the ganja. One other odd thing, there is a piece of old, thin but coarse cloth in the pommel plug hole. I don't see any evidence of glue on the cloth. could it be that the pommel plug was wrapped in the cloth and pressure fit into the hilt in the same fashion as a keris blade is cloth wrapped and fitted to the hilt? Sincerely, RobT

29th July 2006, 03:07 AM	#2
Ferguson Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Kernersville, NC, USA Posts: 793	Tang

29th July 2006, 04:19 AM	#3
philkid Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Philippines Posts: 52	IMO its a nice piece. You just have to have the hilt wrapped with something nice like rattan.

29th July 2006, 10:57 AM	#4
Flavio Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Italia Posts: 1,243	Hello Steve, i like it!!! Congrats

9th August 2006, 04:58 AM	#5
utami Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Java, Indonesia Posts: 49	hei, steve. it is nice to have one like yours Good shape, and look sharp to me. Congrats

9th August 2006, 05:14 AM	#6
Emanuel Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 1,242	Very nice sword! I really ought to get one. Does the lack of rhon-dha/greneng occur often in these kris? Or was this blade perhaps left unfinished? Emanuel

9th August 2006, 04:50 PM	#8
Ian Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: The Aussie Bush Posts: 4,198	When I visited one of my regular local sword dealers in Manila a few eyars ago, he had a similar kris without the filework on the greneng. He said this was likely a kris made in a hurry for someone, such as for an imminent conflict, and that it was lost before the greneng could be completed. Makes sense, but who knows if it applies here. Ian.

10th August 2006, 11:48 AM	#10
Bill M Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: USA Georgia Posts: 1,599	Steve, Looks like a solid, honest old user, not you, but the sundang! Congratulations on getting it. Blade looks good. A worthwhile restoration project!