Unknown Short Sword

[RobT]

Hi All,

Has anyone seen one of these before. The hilt looks like a Kachin dao hilt. The ferrule is exactly the same as a khukri ferrule. The 19" (48.26cm) kopis blade looks like a huge, curved warncliffe and appears to have been made from a file (one heck of a whacking big file at that). The spine of the blade is just under 3/8" (9.525cm) at the hilt and shows no real distal taper until the down curve at the tip. There is a 1-5/8" (41.275mm) ricasso and the blade is symmetrically ground. The sheath is black leather wrapped wood. The leather wrap is expertly stitched along the back with a single seam from throat to tip. Under the leather, there appears to be a cord binding holding the upper portion of the sheath together. There is a decorative leather flap below this binding that appears to have had one time some sort of leather suspension loop.
It is important to note that the ferrule fits the hilt and blade perfectly and the blade fits into the sheath just as well, so this isn't some sort of cobbled together chimera. All of the components are consistent with Nepalese manufacture but I have never seen anything like this before.

Sincerely,
RobT

[werecow]

Reminds me of a Filipino ginunting.

[Athanase]

The construction of handle and scabbarde reminds me a Kukri

[chmorshuutz]

It reminds me of what they call "Tinari/Binulang" in Waray-speaking areas of Eastern Visayas, Philippines. Though your scabbard and hilt look different.

Similar blades in the Philippines that have similar profiles to this are the modern Ginunting from Hiligaynon-speaking areas and the Sinampalok from Tagalog and Bicolano provinces. With that being said, I cannot really be certain that your blade is from the Philippines.

Edit: Image not actually mine, please take down my post if ever it's not allowed.

[RobT]

Thanks to All Who Responded,

Despite the blade on my sword resembling Philippine blades (ginunting, tinari/binulang, sinampalok), the hilt, ferrule, and sheath don't look at all like anything from the Philippines. As I pointed out in my first post, the fit of all the components to one another makes it clear that mine is not a composite piece. That being the case, the ferrule, which is so characteristic of Nepal must be considered the most important identifying characteristic.
When you think about it, outside of the big three (khukri, kora, tulwar), we know nothing about traditional weapons in Nepal and given the large number of ethnic groups in the country, it would seem likely that more than the aforementioned three are present. I think my sword is one of them.

Sincerely,
RobT

[Ian]

Rob,

I think you are correct. We know relatively little about less common swords from Nepal. You have argued persuasively that your example has a strong Nepalese flavor. Perhaps we can agree that, until someone comes up with another similar example with a clear provenance, we have a presumptive attribution to Nepal for your example at this time.

A while back I wrote about the hansia, a work knife of Nepal and northern India. It is another with a curved blade sharpened on the concave edge, but th curvature is much more pronounced than your example.

Ian.

[tanaruz]

Originally Posted by RobT

Hi All,

Has anyone seen one of these before. The hilt looks like a Kachin dao hilt. The ferrule is exactly the same as a khukri ferrule. The 19" (48.26cm) kopis blade looks like a huge, curved warncliffe and appears to have been made from a file (one heck of a whacking big file at that). The spine of the blade is just under 3/8" (9.525cm) at the hilt and shows no real distal taper until the down curve at the tip. There is a 1-5/8" (41.275mm) ricasso and the blade is symmetrically ground. The sheath is black leather wrapped wood. The leather wrap is expertly stitched along the back with a single seam from throat to tip. Under the leather, there appears to be a cord binding holding the upper portion of the sheath together. There is a decorative leather flap below this binding that appears to have had one time some sort of leather suspension loop.
It is important to note that the ferrule fits the hilt and blade perfectly and the blade fits into the sheath just as well, so this isn't some sort of cobbled together chimera. All of the components are consistent with Nepalese manufacture but I have never seen anything like this before.

Sincerely,
RobT

Hello RobT,

IMHO, that's a ginunting (hasp file) and most probably from the Iloilo/Panay area. My basis is that the leather part (which serves for the blade not to slide down) of scabbard (which is not on the throat area) but on the upper part of the scabbard. Most (if not all of my blades (old) from that area has the similar feature). But then of course, it's just my opinion.

[Ian]

Tanaruz, hard to say from the original picture, so I adjusted the contrast of the OP to get a better look at the leather-wrapped scabbard (attached). It does not look Visayan to me. While there is a superficial resemblance, the overall construction of RobT's sheath seems unlikely to be Visayan.

Wayne, thanks for the additional pics of the Nepalese sickle and other work knives. Ooops, where did Wayne's post with those pictures disappear to?

.

[kai]

Originally Posted by Ian

Wayne, thanks for the additional pics of the Nepalese sickle and other work knives. Ooops, where did Wayne's post with those pictures disappear to?

Post #7, Ian?

[kai]

The sheath is black leather wrapped wood. The leather wrap is expertly stitched along the back with a single seam from throat to tip. Under the leather, there appears to be a cord binding holding the upper portion of the sheath together. There is a decorative leather flap below this binding that appears to have had one time some sort of leather suspension loop.

If Rob were to post a pic of the backside, the construction differences to the Visayan scabbards would become more obvious, I guess.

Regards,
Kai

[kronckew]

The scabbard does remind me of my Nepali 'Bowie' knife's one. the ridge formed by the 'string' near the throat is to keep a slip-on frog from riding up.
I've been holding back on the photo until now.

[JBG163]

In my humble opinion, scabbard looks 100% nepalese, as much as bolster that is really similar to kukri ones.
The start of the sharpening have an indian/nepalese feeling too.
To me, the origine is quite sure

[RobT]

Hi All,
Here are the photos that were asked for.

Interested Party,
Here are close ups of the spine and spine at the ricasso.

kai,
Here are pictures of the sheath back (1 full view and 1 close up).

kronckew,
Here are close ups of segments of both sides of the blade.

Sincerely,
RobT

[kai]

Thanks, Rob!

Clearly not Visayan IMHO.

Regards,
Kai