SEA brass warriors, circa 1930...help ID? comments?

[katana]

Not a weapon...but two interesting warrior statuettes. Not certain as to the origins (Siam? Indonesia? ) circa 1930's. The hair style may help.

One has two 'tonfa' type weapons and the second has lost his ....he has a hole in each hand which line up with each other....probably to hold a spear or staff....rather than two seperate weapons like escrima sticks
Can anyone help ID their origins and suggest what sort of weapon the second would have been holding (so I can make a replacement.) To give an idea of scale....if they were standing upright they would be approx 14" (35 cms) tall.

All comments, suggestions and help gratefully received, thank you

Regards David

[~Alaung_Hpaya~]

That's hair cut en brosse typical of Siam from 1700s onwards . The tonfa like weapon is a Mae Sun Sawk and differs by being tied on at the elbow.

[VVV]

They look like Krabi Krabong players so I guess the other one had dhas?

Michael

[PUFF]

The figures are definitely Siamese.
Mai Sawk or Mai Sun Sawk 's a little different from Tonfa. A Mai Sawk has two sticks on its upper part and one rope loop at its bottom part.

Mai Sawks are usually play with a staff (Plong, Krabong) (represent short and long weapons, symbols for Monkey and Giant fight). So the second guy might holding a staff.

However, if two holes on second guy 's hands are not aligned, a pair of Dahb, Dha 's possile.

[Ian]

Thanks PUFF and ~Alaung_Hpaya~ for the explanations. Do either of you happen to have more examples of these figures from the first half of the 20th C. or earlier, or do you know where we might find furtehr examples on the web? I'm especially interested in older examples (pre-WWII).

Ian.

[katana]

Thank you ~Alaung_Hpaya~, VVV and PUFF for the information

The holes (in the hands) are in line so it seems the figure has lost his staff.
At least that will be easier to replace than two Dha's.

Hi Ian, I have never seen this type of figures before...and I have searched the web in vain for similar examples. To me it is very unlikely that these are 'mass produced'....due to size and the 'subject' matter. I am wondering whether these originally adorned a Krabi Krabong 'school'

I have started to buy ethnic/tribal items to 'compliment' my weapon display, although I have no weapons to 'compliment' these figures I recently bought an Ashanti brass cast box with symbolic decoration, which, I would like to post. The relavence to weaponary would the symbolism associated with Ashanti knives and swords, would it be OK to do so.

Regards David

[Ian]

Hi David:

Yes, there are a lot of cultural items that can be used to complement the weapons.

If the symbols on the box are similar to those on weapons, that sounds like it would be of direct relevance to edged weapons. We have used a fairly liberal interpretation of "relevance" previously.

Ian.

Originally Posted by katana

I have started to buy ethnic/tribal items to 'compliment' my weapon display, although I have no weapons to 'compliment' these figures I recently bought an Ashanti brass cast box with symbolic decoration, which, I would like to post. The relavence to weaponary would the symbolism associated with Ashanti knives and swords, would it be OK to do so.

Regards David

[PUFF]

Originally Posted by Ian

Do either of you happen to have more examples of these figures from the first half of the 20th C. or earlier, or do you know where we might find furtehr examples on the web? I'm especially interested in older examples (pre-WWII).

Ian.

I do not know... brass/bronze figures are not considered very valuable. Most families are not bother putting them on market.

[katana]

Originally Posted by PUFF

I do not know... brass/bronze figures are not considered very valuable. Most families are not bother putting them on market.

Depending on age, subject matter and scarcity brass/bronze figures in the West have value Are these figures common ? What were they for?They were brought back to the UK in the 1930's and were not 'new' then.

Regards David