2 Philippine swords for identification

[Ian]

drac2K:

The first one is, I believe, of Moro origin, specifically from the Maranao people of the Lake Lanao area of Mindanao. The okir carvings on the scabbard are quite characteristic. The "baroque" curly pieces of metal on the hilt are a recognized Maranao style, sometimes called "sarimanok," that seems to have started in the early to mid-20th C., and one still sees occasional pieces being made today. It seems to have been particularly popular in the 1950s and 1960s, and was mainly aimed at the tourist trade. You see it mostly on gunong-sized knives, and a number of these have been posted here over the years, although there are swords that are also decorated similarly.

I have a chopper of similar dimensions as yours (pictures attached) that I bought about 20 years ago in Manila. It was said to be Moro, and had come to Manila via Davao City. The hilt may represent a naga. The okir work on the scabbard is similar to yours. There are traces of old paint still visible on the scabbard. This one is probably from the 1960s.

Ian.