Mandau scan page Zonneveld
 

Can somebody scan me the left page (the photo) of the M (MANDAU) page of the Albert van Zonneveld book on indonesian weapons ?
Luc

HI Luc, here are the pics you have requested. Sorry no scanning (my scan is dead scanning the books you know :) ). You can also see that was acquired in the 1985.

Thanks Michael, Bill & Flavio.
Luc

Some additional information about this mandau:
Although the mandau was acquired by the museum in 1985, the bone carvings, coloured hair and beads on the scabbard date from around 1960. The blade, hilt and scabbard itself, are older.
The mandau was a gift from Barbara Harrison, the ex-wife of Tom Harrison, curator of the Sarawak museum.

Thank you Albert, i'm very happy that you have joined this forum, welcome :)

These mandau s (blade form and scabbard) where used as gift not for taken heads


Ben

SOMEBODY KNOWS SOMETHING ABOUT THIS TYPE OF MANDAUS, USED LIKE A PRESENTS? ARE THEY CONSIDERATED TOURIST ITEMS? ISOMEBODY HAVE PICTURES OF THIS TYPE OF MANDAUS?
THANKS
CARLOS

Hi Carlos I never see one like this on old pictures warriors carrying this type off mandau .



Regards Ben

I DON'T THINK THESE WERE MADE IN LARGE NUMBERS FOR SALE TO TOURISTS. I HAVE HEARD STORIES ABOUT SEVERAL SPECIMINS OVER THE YEARS SAYING THEY WERE PRESENTED TO SOME IMPORTANT PERSON OR TO SOME PERSON WHO PREFORMED SOME SPECIAL SERVICE FOR THE VILLAGE OR FAMILY OR WAS A SPECIAL FRIEND. I SUSPECT THEY MAY ALSO BE USED FOR SPECIAL CEREMONYS OR AS COSTUMES FOR TRIBAL SHOWS FOR TOURISTS. SO I WOULD PERSONALLY CLASS THEM AS PRESENTATION SWORDS THAT PROBABLY ALL DATE AFTER THE HEADHUNTING DAYS OF OLD. THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN TOO FANCY TO WEAR ON A HEADHUNTING RAID THRU THE JUNGLE AS SOME OF THEM WOULD TEND TO GET CAUGHT IN THE UNDERBRUSH.

THE FIRST ONE IS SAID TO HAVE BEEN PRESENTED TO QUEEN EMMA OF THE NETHERLANDS BY THE SULTAN OF KUTAI IN 1897.

THE OTHERS ARE MUCH MORE RECENT EXAMPLES BUT STILL LOOK SIMULAR TO THE PRESENTATION OR DANCE FORM BUT I SUSPECT ARE FOR SALE TO COLLECTORS OR TOURISTS ALSO.

A MORE RECENT ONE NOTE HOW IT HAS BEEN SMOKED OR DYED TO APPEAR OLD. I THINK THESE ARE MADE MORE FOR TOURISTS OR COLLECTORS THAN FOR PRESENTATION, DANCE OR CEREMONY.

Hi Vandoo you are right that these late example s are more for tourist
The older ones are used as an gift and are much better quality than you find
today they never have been used for headhunting

The picture from Queen Emma can be seen in the book Koningklijke geschenken uit Indonesie this contains the gifts that where presented from Indonesia to the Netherlands Kingdom


Regards, Ben

The other thing I have noticed is that later ones have hair that is colored with brighter colors, not just bright as in fresh or vibrant, but bright as in more neon or pastels.

Do the rest of you see the same?

Hi Battara you mean the pink color yes this is true but I see old stuff before 1950 that have also pink color but not the neon stuff you mean .

here is mine

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ghlight=mandau