New Mandau with different hilt

Royston · 20th September 2010, 06:05 PM

Just got this on Sunday at a local antiques fair.

The hilt is different to all my others. Is it unusual ? Does anyone recognise the type ?

Roy

David · 20th September 2010, 06:45 PM

It does look like a slightly different form to me as well. Your piece looks to have some legitimate age to it as well. Well made blade with a nicely carved hilt with nice patina.
I might well be off-base on this, but my take is this. These hilts follow along the natural shape of the material, whether it be antler or wood. In this case the branches may have just gone off in this direction and the carver worked with this natural flow to create a hilt with a slightly different profile.

Maurice · 20th September 2010, 09:35 PM

I like those wild carved hilts. I think David is right with his reply.
Here also an interesting hilt that I traded once, but happily came back into my collection, also with very wild carvings.
It is hard to show the beautiness of this handle and get the wild carvings on one picture, because it is carved very different from every side.
Therefore multiplay photo's attached.
I hope you like it.

20th September 2010, 06:05 PM	#1
Royston Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Poole England Posts: 443	New Mandau with different hilt Just got this on Sunday at a local antiques fair. The hilt is different to all my others. Is it unusual ? Does anyone recognise the type ? Roy Attached Images

20th September 2010, 09:35 PM	#3
Maurice Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 1,330	wild carved handles I like those wild carved hilts. I think David is right with his reply. Here also an interesting hilt that I traded once, but happily came back into my collection, also with very wild carvings. It is hard to show the beautiness of this handle and get the wild carvings on one picture, because it is carved very different from every side. Therefore multiplay photo's attached. I hope you like it. Attached Images

20th September 2010, 06:45 PM	#2
David Keris forum moderator Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Nova Scotia Posts: 7,113	It does look like a slightly different form to me as well. Your piece looks to have some legitimate age to it as well. Well made blade with a nicely carved hilt with nice patina. I might well be off-base on this, but my take is this. These hilts follow along the natural shape of the material, whether it be antler or wood. In this case the branches may have just gone off in this direction and the carver worked with this natural flow to create a hilt with a slightly different profile.