Water Buffalo Handle Moro Kriss

[Jazz]

I was keeping an eye on this when the seller decided to remove the auction


http://cgi.ebay.com/Moro-Kris-Short-...QQcmdZViewItem


from the pictures provided it doesn't look very impressive, but I can just imagine this particular kriss cleaned up. I mean, I never saw any pommel made out of horn before, have any of you? If you do, can you provide some pictures? also, the silver braided wires and rings would've made one hella contrast.
also, I wonder if the seller sold it for the starting bid?
At the same token, another kris went fairly cheap a week or so ago (didn't save the item number), considering it has either brass or silver handle. I'm hoping these are signs of things to come

[Bill M]

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...horn+jungayyan

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...horn+jungayyan

Here are a couple of mine.



Jazz,

I saw these being removed from the auctions. I am not saying that this happened this time, but often the seller makes a deal with a buyer to end the auction early and the price shown (when that happens) usually is not the price paid.

This practice is against eBay policy and usually the seller will realize a bigger payment if he lets it run full time. Most good eBay sellers will not end an auction early.

[David]

Originally Posted by Jazz

At the same token, another kris went fairly cheap a week or so ago (didn't save the item number), considering it has either brass or silver handle. I'm hoping these are signs of things to come

Well, this is a double-edged sword, if you will excuse the pun.
While i realize that we all hope to find great Moro blades at a bargain, if cheaper prices become the norm it also brings the value of our already existing collection down. I'd rather they stay high and that i am just lucky enough to stumble upon the occasional mis-marked sleeper

[Jazz]

Bill, excellent example. Always boggle my mind how the material wasn't used as much by the moros...

Good point, David. I guess that's what I'm trying to say....

[Battara]

Originally Posted by Jazz

Bill, excellent example. Always boggle my mind how the material wasn't used as much by the moros...

There are more Moro horn pommels than you think - I have also seen barong pommels made of horn, and then many pira pommels are made of horn.......

[Jazz]

...but you'd think it would be more prevalent, like how it was utilized in Visayas and Luzon.

[Battara]

I the Visayas you do see some tenegre pieces from Panay where some of the pommel heads are of solid horn. More often the hand guards (where one exists) are of horn.

In Luzon you will find more horn hilts. Many of them come from the lowlanders like Batangas, the Tagalog regions, and Ilocos Norte. Many katipunan and 1st PI republic era pieces have horn hilts.

Also, I forgot that some Moro gunongs have horn hilts.

Here is an example of what I call a Katipunan horn hilted bolo in my collection:

[Battara]

Here is another horn hilted piece I have that is a presentation piece from General Lukban to his men for fighting in the Spanish-American War (script is in Tagalog):

[Battara]

And here is another one of my daggers made during and celebrating the 1st PI republic with horn hilt from Ilocos Norte:

[Battara]

Other Philippine groups used horn on hilts as well. Here is one of my pieces that is a datu piece from the Mandaya (neighbors to the Moros on Mindanao):