A Bagobo sword

[Ian]

Zel: I've seen relatively few B'laan swords, and most were decorated with horse hair, which I understand is a B'laan trait. The hilts were somewhat similar to the example at the top of this post, so I suppose B'laan is a possibility. The Kaolu also use horse hair to decorate some of their scabbards, which causes more confusion.

Looking at the general style of Flavio's example, with its double row of brass rings down the side, inlaid dots of (I assume) aluminum, and bare hardwood sheath -- it looks so similar to the large number of items in recent years that have been coming out of Davao City and attributed to the Kaolu.

BTW, some of the brass tubing at the end of these scabbards may have come from old shell casings, mainly post WWII, which pretty much dates them to the second half of the 20th C.

Pinoy: Your kris is certainly older, and I suspect early- to mid-20th C. May well be Bagobo, but Kaolu is a distinct possibility based on the fittings similar to Flavio's example.

Flavio: There is a healthy market for sale of swords to tourists and collectors via Davao City. There are some genuine Kaolu, Bagobo and T'boli swords coming through there, as well as Maguindanao and Maranao, but many are of recent manufacture. I have been told by someone who spent a year or two working with the T'boli that swords are still produced -- they are given to the kids to wear around and create some "age" to the hilts and scabbards. Perhaps this is why we see so many swords with pristine blades and somewhat worn hilts.

Ian.

Originally Posted by zelbone

Ian,

Are you sure about the Kaolu attribution? Could it possibly be B'laan?

Zel