Moro armour: A Coat of Mail and Plate

[Sentrad]

I just want to present to the forum some pics of a coat of mail and plate from my collection. It's from Maranao, Lanao del Sur, Western Mindanao, Philippines, a construction from brass chains and plates of different size out of dark browish buffalo horn, a perfect combination of flexibility and protection. With one exception, the brass rings are not riveted like the iron rings at European hauberks. The horn plates are not as heavy as iron or brass plates, but I have to confess, running around with this hauberk of 9.6 kg in a hot humid climate would be a pretty nice task....Some of the silver plated copper applications are lost.
Dimensions (just lying on the ground, not the coverage): length appr 74 cm (29 in.), width with sleeves appr 67 cm (26 in.), lower width appr. 51 cm (20 in.).
Are there are differences in style or construction between the different islands of the Sulu Sea? In Northern Borneo, Northern Sulawesi and the Northern Moluccas exist Portuguese/Spanish helmets, what about armour?

Questions and comments are highly welcome.

Udo

[Battara]

I'm looking into that question myself. So far I have found some differences between Sulu and Maranao, like the okir types as well as the intricacy of the catches on armor.

Thank you so much for posting this wonderful piece (grumble, grumble, envy, envy ) with provenance. Helps tremendously.

And yes you noticed that the brass/bronze rings are in fact simple. They are usually also in a 4 to 1 chain maille ratio as well.

[estcrh]

Thanks for posting your moro armor, great pictures and description, do you have any images of the inside.

[Robert]

Beautiful armour Sentrad, thank you very much for posting. If it is not too much to ask how long has this been part of your collection and how did you acquire it. Did it come with the provenance you have stated or is this information that you have found after your initial acquisition?

Best,
Robert

[Maurice]

Hello Udo,

that is a fantastic moro armour!
I have had one several years ago, bought from a Dutch antique dealer.
It wasn't as nice as yours, and fully made of brass, also the plates.
Remembering my armour, it was indeed quite heavy, which certainly would be necessary to resist heavy blows with swords.
But at the other hand, carrying armour with horn plates, would make you more agile in a man to man fight.

Again, a very lovely piece you have in very good condition!
Thanks for posting,
Maurice

[Battara]

I do have one additional question, how do you know that the metal pieces are silvered copper?

[Sentrad]

thanks very much for your interest, comments and questions.

I bought this armour from the late Baron von Hochstetter from Duesseldorf, Germany. He had a very nice collection of Indonesian and Moro weapons and has got this Moro coat of mail as a present to his 15th birthday in 1955. His father bought it in an Amsterdam (?) gallery and they told him the geographical provenience. The von Hochstetter collection has been sold at a Munich auction house in several tranches shortly befor he died, and though I knew him pretty well, I had to bid at the auction as well.

Just some details: The metall applications are of copper or an alloy rich of copper, the silver layer is very thin and worn out. The plates of buffalo horn are bent oblong, the convex side to the outside of the coat, smooth and bright. The concave, inner side is more rough. Yes, the rings of the network are in 4:1 ration, larger ones holding the plates together, smaller ones forming the plaiting at neck, shoulders and waist. The brass of the chain darkend during the time, horn and brass are alike. I add some pics from the collar, the inside and the closure. The surface is difficult to photograph, but I tried my best. Literature: Baradas 1995: 81, plate 35;
Casino 1981: 166, illstr. 156

Udo

[estcrh]

Thanks for the additional images, I was wondering if the makers of this type of armor just followed the natural curves of the horn or if they had some method to bend it.