#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.

#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.

#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.

MORE EXAMPLES OF THE MORE MODERN DAYAK SHIELDS

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.

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. :)

Just one more
 

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

Again a Kenyah shield, but with interesting provenience:
 

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

Old shield
 

Old shield.

Forthcoming: book on Borneo shields and war clothing
 

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.
:)

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.

Hi Albert,

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




Ben

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

Ben

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

Klebit bok shield
 

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.

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.

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?

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.