New acquisition; Sundang for comment

drac2k · 13th September 2015, 08:05 PM

I was recently able to pick this sundang up on e-way very reasonably.The silver inlay is completely intact even though it looks like some of it might be missing; probably a shadow cast during pictures.I would be interested in any feed back, especially regarding the age .

David · 14th September 2015, 01:14 AM

Very nice kris. Very well crafted and a good deal of the inlay intact. I would say it is late 19th century.
I'm not sure that "sundang" is the proper name for this weapon in Moroland. But i have been led to believe that half wavy blades like this are called Luma (Maguindanao tribe), Ranti (Maranao tribe) or Kalis Taluseko (Tausug tribe). Kris seems to be a good catch-all for these blades whether straight or wavy. Apparently the Maranao tribe do use the term sundang to refer to straight kris. The word sundang also seems to be the popular term for the Malay counterpart of the Moro kris.
Maybe others have more or different information on this name game.

Ian · 14th September 2015, 01:26 AM

Nice kalis taluseko. I think the blade was probably made in Mindanao in the first half of the 20th C, but the metal decoration on the hilt looks more recent Maranao work with the typical okir motifs and short metal plates. A very clean sword.

Similar kris are fairly common in a few antique stores in and around Zamboanga, and there are a couple of sellers on eBay who work that area and regularly put similar items up for auction. Many items have vintage blades with newer hilts and some are entirely new. Much of what shows up online from these dealers comes from the Lake Lanao region (Maranao people), with some Maguindanao, Tausug and Yakan items as well.

Ian.

kino · 14th September 2015, 02:55 AM

I tend to believe that the metalwork on the hilt is original to the blade. The blade is still beefy, it doesn't seem to have been used much and so it hasn't been thru the grindstone much either. It was probably collected early on in its life. I'm with David on the age estimation.
Going by the number of waves, it's a limaseko.
Nice sword, I like the way the wire was twisted before being inlaid into the blade.
Congrats on a nice catch Mr. drac2k.

drac2k · 14th September 2015, 06:32 AM

Thank you all for the wealth of information and the complements.

Sajen · 14th September 2015, 11:32 AM

Hello Drac2k,

very nice kris indeed and I agree with the others, late 19th century until early 20th century, very nice blade.

At some pictures is to seen that there are traces of an old wrapping under the hilt fittings, can you tell which material it is? On the pictures is look like leather which would be unusual and also would confirm that the hilt fittings of later date IMHO. Personally I would give the hilt a new cord wrapping between the metal rings. Are you going to etch the blade?

Regards,
Detlef

RSWORD · 14th September 2015, 12:47 PM

Nice sword. The blade would benefit from a light etch because I am pretty sure I am seeing signs of twistcore in the center panel. Dave, have a good close look at that center section in good sunlight and see if you can see the pattern.

Ian · 14th September 2015, 03:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kino

...
Going by the number of waves, it's a limaseko.
...

Kino:

I have noted that lima (meaning five) is the only number that is consistently called the same name in most (if not nearly all) languages of SE Asia. Five is lima in Malay, Indonesian, and a host of Philippine dialects (including Tagalog, Igorot, Cebuano, Warai, Tausug, Maranao, Yakan, and so on). Not sure that this means anything, or adds to the discussion here, just an observation.

Ian.

13th September 2015, 08:05 PM	#1
drac2k Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Posts: 1,230	New acquisition; Sundang for comment I was recently able to pick this sundang up on e-way very reasonably.The silver inlay is completely intact even though it looks like some of it might be missing; probably a shadow cast during pictures.I would be interested in any feed back, especially regarding the age . Attached Images

14th September 2015, 01:26 AM	#3
Ian Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: The Aussie Bush Posts: 4,199	Nice kalis taluseko. I think the blade was probably made in Mindanao in the first half of the 20th C, but the metal decoration on the hilt looks more recent Maranao work with the typical okir motifs and short metal plates. A very clean sword. Similar kris are fairly common in a few antique stores in and around Zamboanga, and there are a couple of sellers on eBay who work that area and regularly put similar items up for auction. Many items have vintage blades with newer hilts and some are entirely new. Much of what shows up online from these dealers comes from the Lake Lanao region (Maranao people), with some Maguindanao, Tausug and Yakan items as well. Ian. Last edited by Ian; 14th September 2015 at 01:38 AM.

14th September 2015, 01:14 AM	#2
David Keris forum moderator Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Nova Scotia Posts: 7,123	Very nice kris. Very well crafted and a good deal of the inlay intact. I would say it is late 19th century. I'm not sure that "sundang" is the proper name for this weapon in Moroland. But i have been led to believe that half wavy blades like this are called Luma (Maguindanao tribe), Ranti (Maranao tribe) or Kalis Taluseko (Tausug tribe). Kris seems to be a good catch-all for these blades whether straight or wavy. Apparently the Maranao tribe do use the term sundang to refer to straight kris. The word sundang also seems to be the popular term for the Malay counterpart of the Moro kris. Maybe others have more or different information on this name game.

14th September 2015, 02:55 AM	#4
kino Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 1,002	I tend to believe that the metalwork on the hilt is original to the blade. The blade is still beefy, it doesn't seem to have been used much and so it hasn't been thru the grindstone much either. It was probably collected early on in its life. I'm with David on the age estimation. Going by the number of waves, it's a limaseko. Nice sword, I like the way the wire was twisted before being inlaid into the blade. Congrats on a nice catch Mr. drac2k.

14th September 2015, 06:32 AM	#5
drac2k Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Posts: 1,230	Thank you all for the wealth of information and the complements.

14th September 2015, 11:32 AM	#6
Sajen Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Germany, Dortmund Posts: 8,779	Hello Drac2k, very nice kris indeed and I agree with the others, late 19th century until early 20th century, very nice blade. At some pictures is to seen that there are traces of an old wrapping under the hilt fittings, can you tell which material it is? On the pictures is look like leather which would be unusual and also would confirm that the hilt fittings of later date IMHO. Personally I would give the hilt a new cord wrapping between the metal rings. Are you going to etch the blade? Regards, Detlef

14th September 2015, 12:47 PM	#7
RSWORD Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Greensboro, NC Posts: 1,083	Nice sword. The blade would benefit from a light etch because I am pretty sure I am seeing signs of twistcore in the center panel. Dave, have a good close look at that center section in good sunlight and see if you can see the pattern.