Probably Sumatran and not Moro
 

This one just finished on eBay and I was disappointed to be outbid for it:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tem=6554991416

IMO this is not, as advertised, a Moro sword, but more likely a katungung used by the Pakpak and Batak peoples of Sumatra. The katungung resembles a klewang or long pedang, has a nearly straight edge and spine to the blade, and is carried in an almost straight scabbard that widens only at the mouth (v. Zonneveld,* p. 62). Only the hilt would be atypical for a katungung, everything else looks right, including the scabbard.

Someone else bought a very nice sword, probably for the wrong reason. Sayang! :(

Ian.

* Albert von Zonneveld. Traditional Weapons of the Indonesian Archipelago. Zwartenkot Art Books: Leiden. 2001.

Ian, what I can see as possibly looking Moro is the carving at the pommel. The rest - no. Even the decor on the scabbard near the mouth openning is closer to Bali than it is to Moro stylistically.

Well, Michael will hopefully post better pics once he got it! :D

I doubt that he wants to get rid of it though... :rolleyes:

i wonder about that too, ian, if the winner bid on it with the intention of acquiring a moro piece or something else. if it's the former, it must be nice to have that kind of money to gamble, lol... ;)

Dear Ian and others,

Just came back home and read your posts on my new sword.
Actually I wasn't aware exactly what kind of sword it was when I bid on it and I still don't know.
But I do know that I like it.
The blade looks Sumatran, the hilt looks a bit Borneo and the patterns on the scabbard looks a bit Sulawesi according to one of the main contributors to the van Z book who I discuss odd examples with now and then.
Most of my collection is "textbook swords" but as an enthusiast I find my several odd ones much more challenging and exciting.
Probably I share this interest with most of you?
Why else have a forum like this if you could find it all in Stone, van Z, Cato etc?

If anyone of you have a picture of a Katungung from the books of W Voltz (Kai or Ian?) I would really appreciate it.
I am a bit hesitant because of the lacking resemblence of the hilt etc. according to the van Z book (pict 534).
Hope to return the favour in the future...

Thanks,

Michael

Congrats
 

Michael:

Please do post some more pictures here. The pictures with the sale were rather small and unclear.

Ian.

OK,

Michael

I'd be interested in seeing close-ups of the hilt. The pommel looks very Visayan in flavor...Cebuano in particular :D .

The Moro/Sumatran/Visayan/Peninsular sword has arrived.
Unfortunately it's dark here now but I hope that the enclosed pictures could be of some use.
I am still puzzled on what it could be.
I haven't had time yet to check all references but what's significant is the narrow blade.
For Ian, as well as a comparison, I have put it next to a regular sized Batak Kalasan as well as an US dollar bill.
Considering the size and weight it feels closer to a Kalasan than a Visayan or Moro sword?
Please look at the blade close to the hilt. That part reminds me of a Visayan feature?
I have a very thin Tenegre in my collection but it's still much heavier than this sword.
And the seller described it as a bringback from a "WW2 Pacific Theater Veteran" (=Philippines?).
So is it Visayan (a slim binangon?), a Batak Katungung or something else???

Michael

It looks like it s from borneo from the muruts the scabbard looks like it s made
in Sarawak not Sumatra

Thanks B,

Actually W also thought the hilt looked Borneo.
But why is it so light and small (compared to f.i. a Pakayun)?
And isn't the Muruts living in Sabah?

Michael

Doesn't look Murut to me, IMO. However, these indigenous people are found in Northern Sarawak and Kalimantan as well.

Hi I can send pics off murut swords with this handle if you want
but if you look in the book off Wilhelm Hein Indonesische Swertgriffe
page 343 you can see it

Hi Dajak,
Don't have the "Wilhelm Hein Indonesische Swertgriffe" but being located where I am, I could make some verifications perhaps but be warned, I'm no expert :). Let's have a look at the pics.