BARUNG REBIRTH 3
 

Hello,

This is the 3rd barung that I had restored. It was bought without its scabbard.
Tausug: late 19th century

OAL: 22.25 inches/ blade: 13.5 inches (spine widest area at 1-cm!). A very heavy piece.

Scabbard:(new) balayong hardwood (Cassia Javanica/ java cassia/ rainbow shower tree) with ukkil. Made by an artisan/carver from Jolo.

Blade: with Chinese characters

Saludos,

Yves

Lovely old barung! The blade is in excellent condition and I am very fond of that hilt style. I find the "hooked" kakatua pommel sits nicely in the hand and facilitates a full length grip. Very much a fighting barung. I think it might be earlier than late 19th C.

Your new scabbard is well carved, although the toe looks a little odd with its squared off end.

Hi Yes,

Like Ian I like the blade and the hilt but frankly I wouldn't be happy with the new scabbard, 19th century or older scabbards show a different form and other carvings.
I personally would prefer a scabbard like my antique one in the pictures. :shrug: And I am sure that you can find here in old threads other antique samples you could show your carver. And I would advise him to finish the flat areas better. ;)

Sorry, that's my impression when I look to the pictures.

Regards,
Detlef

Barung rebirth 3
 

Hi,

Thank you for your inputs.

a) scabbard- I've patterned the design (with a square end) from an old barung picture. In that picture, the scabbard has a square end, with rattan bindings and no ukkil designs.

With that picture as a reference, I had requested the carver to make a similar scabbard- only with the addition of ukkil.

b) if it's much earlier than the 'late 19th century'- could it be mid or early 19th c?

Saludos and a blessed week for us all.

Yves

I would conservatively place it as mid-19th C. Very well forged blade from what I can see.

Barung rebirth 3
 

Hi,

Appreciate the inputs.

If I may emphasize, this is an 'angkun' type of barung. And with its's 1-cm spine (thickest)- it is indeed the heaviest amongst all barungs in our collection.

But the mystery is still the Chinese characters on this one (as well as the one on our Barung rebirth 2). What could possibly be their translation? I wonder.

Kind regards,

Yves

Yves, what is an angkun blade? I have not heard that term before. As for the Chinese characters, have you tried to get it translated locally? I know there is a sizeable Chinese population in Luzon.