Some barong/barung

Ian · 5th October 2014, 05:05 PM

Hi Timo:

You have some interesting examples here and I would like to offer my two cents on a few of them.

No. 2 has a hilt very similar to the kakatua on a N. Borneo/Sabah barung that I posted some time ago. This may well be another example.

No. 6 has a scabbard that is definitely from Palawan. I have a similar scabbard on a nice bangkung (second half of 20th C), and if you search on this site for a "Palawan bangkung" I think you will find the name of the tribe that it came from. I don't recall who they are now.

No. 7 has a hilt similar to No. 2 and again I think this one is from N. Borneo/Sabah. Certainly the scabbard is atypical for Sulu Archipelago work. The Yakan, however, sometimes use similar geometric rattan wraps. But I would go with N. Borneo based on the kakatua.

No. 9 is an interesting arrangement with the hole through the blade and silver wire binding through the hole. I think this is likely to be Sulu Archipelago in origin. Zelbone has a bangkung with a hole in the same place and a wrapping that passes through it. Not a commonly found feature.

No. 10 has okir work on the blade that I again associate with N. Borneo/Sabah. I have a few barung decorated more crudely but in a similar manner that came from Kota Marudu in Sabah. There are pictures of these barung on this site.

No. 11 could be Yakan. Cato describes short ferrules as being a feature of some Yakan barung. The use of MOP on the scabbard is also common with Yakan work made for tourist consumption.

No. 13 again reminds me of N. Borneo/Sabah and the kakatua on this one is similar to the style of Sabah barung that I have shown previously here.

No. 14 is also likely to be N.Borneo/Sabah in origin based on the shape of the blade and a kakatua that are atypical of the Sulu Archipelago.

Just my personal views and I welcome the thoughts of others.

Ian.

P.S. Here is the link to N. Borneo/Sabah barung on the old web site: http://www.vikingsword.com/ubb/Forum1/HTML/001304.html

5th October 2014, 05:05 PM	#6
Ian Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: The Aussie Bush Posts: 4,399	Nice examples and well presented Hi Timo: You have some interesting examples here and I would like to offer my two cents on a few of them. No. 2 has a hilt very similar to the kakatua on a N. Borneo/Sabah barung that I posted some time ago. This may well be another example. No. 6 has a scabbard that is definitely from Palawan. I have a similar scabbard on a nice bangkung (second half of 20th C), and if you search on this site for a "Palawan bangkung" I think you will find the name of the tribe that it came from. I don't recall who they are now. No. 7 has a hilt similar to No. 2 and again I think this one is from N. Borneo/Sabah. Certainly the scabbard is atypical for Sulu Archipelago work. The Yakan, however, sometimes use similar geometric rattan wraps. But I would go with N. Borneo based on the kakatua. No. 9 is an interesting arrangement with the hole through the blade and silver wire binding through the hole. I think this is likely to be Sulu Archipelago in origin. Zelbone has a bangkung with a hole in the same place and a wrapping that passes through it. Not a commonly found feature. No. 10 has okir work on the blade that I again associate with N. Borneo/Sabah. I have a few barung decorated more crudely but in a similar manner that came from Kota Marudu in Sabah. There are pictures of these barung on this site. No. 11 could be Yakan. Cato describes short ferrules as being a feature of some Yakan barung. The use of MOP on the scabbard is also common with Yakan work made for tourist consumption. No. 13 again reminds me of N. Borneo/Sabah and the kakatua on this one is similar to the style of Sabah barung that I have shown previously here. No. 14 is also likely to be N.Borneo/Sabah in origin based on the shape of the blade and a kakatua that are atypical of the Sulu Archipelago. Just my personal views and I welcome the thoughts of others. Ian. P.S. Here is the link to N. Borneo/Sabah barung on the old web site: http://www.vikingsword.com/ubb/Forum1/HTML/001304.html Last edited by Ian; 5th October 2014 at 09:28 PM. Reason: Added link to earlier post