Kalinga Chiefs axe for comment
 

Just picked up today it's a fine example but the head could use a cleaning. :)

comments welcome.

Very nice example - well done.

Hi Lew,

congrats, beautiful example. And all the brass is still complete! :eek: By my one it is very incomplete. But you have to turn the handle or the blade about 180 degree.

Regards,

Detlef

Yup I noticed that shouldn't be too hard to correct ;)

Hi Lew,

Great piece !!

Fancy! I like it.
Steve

Very nice. May actually be Tinquian (subtle difference). Great piece and congratulations! Picked up at the show?

Nope on eBay it was listed incorrectly made the seller a reasonable offer about $$$.

W :eek: W!

Indeed quite find! Congratulations. You made yourself a small $$$$ As I am a collector of these myself can tell you these are getting hard to find.

I would place this one at the Northern area of the Kalinga tribe; where Tinguians meet the (N.-) Kalinga. I see this from the coppercut VVV (atop and below the 'horizontal <> band') which is also a feature on Apayaotribe shields.
Have to say that it DOES occur most often that the blade is facing the wrong direction! I'm almost starting to wonder . . . . .
Question; can the blade be easy taken out or you really have to wiggle it out???
Best regards

Quick Q Lew... How thick is the ferrule?

I ask as on my own example, the ferrule was thicker than on the half-dozen or so comparably "plain" exmaples I have handled.

I don't have it in hand yet should be here in a couple of days.

Congratulations, one of the best kalinga axes I have never seen!! :eek:
best regards

carlos

The axe arrived today and I was able to reverse the head it was quite loose. So I reversed it and pushed some epoxy wood mixed with fine steel wool. Cleaned up the head and gave the wood a application of briwax.

Lew

Again, a beautiful complete example!!

The iron ferrule is about 1/8" thick the bottom finale piece is some type of silver alloy?

Actually the bottom piece is white metal, a mixture of copper and nickel (I tested mine years ago).

So many beautiful pieces being acquired and shown this week. This has got to be one of the finest axes that I have ever seen, absolutely beautiful. I'm so jealous it is hard for me to log on to the forum. All I can say is congratulations on winning this !!! A truly fine addition that anyone would be happy to have.

Robert

That's intersting, as the ferrule on my own example similarly measures approx. 1/8" - ranging from 2.6'ish to 3.4'ish mm.

By contrast, all the exmaples of undecorated head axes I have had and/or held had comparatively thin ferrules, e.g., the only other one in my possession at the moment has a ferrule bracketing 1mm in thickness.

I wonder if this represented a regional variation, or if was analogous to an 'upgrade' for those in positions of authority or importance... :shrug:

I think that the thickness of the ferrule is largely influenced by the availability of raw material. In the history of Northern Luzon, there were times of plenty and also times of scarcity. Indeed, there are "undecorated" head axes with ferrules that are 3mm thick.

Thank you, Nonoy, for the explanation... that makes sense.