VOC BLADES: A comprehensive look

[Gavin Nugent]

A vietnamese Guom with VOC blade... no blade images currently on file...

[Jim McDougall]

Thank you Gav and Jeff for reviving this thread!
When I began this in 2014, my goal was to learn more on the blades with VOC markings, and how widely diffused they were through the 'Indies' and Asia.
Also, I was curious on the convention of placing the year adjacent to the VOC balemark along with initial of the chamber (there were 6) of origin.
Most common was of course the 'A' for Amsterdam.

Most of these blades were hanger type, mostly on 'cutlass' type swords, it seems these were of course likely in use on the vessels. As typical these were held in arms stores and not 'issued' individually. However, their profound diffusion among native populations suggest these were often traded.

In "Arsenal of the World". J.P. Puype 1996 (pp.47-50, 'VOC Under Arms', C.O.van der Meij);
"...the VOC used edged weapons, albeit to a lesser extent. The swords that were given to sea captains were mostly ceremonial weapons. Soldiers that went to Ceylon got a backsword. These backswords were called 'pedarme' were thought to be more useful when climbing mountain (?) or marching through forests. There are by the way, various opinions about the way these swords looked".

As far as I know, there have not been examples of such an arming sword with backsword blade known with the VOC mark, so it adds to the topic of the marking of VOC on blades.

On p. 50 (Puype op. cit) it is noted that Asian weapons were highly sought as collectible by rich merchants who bought these and all kinds of exotic items as curiosities. While it is known that VOC troops never used native weapons, preferring their own European forms, it seems possible they might have traded the European edged weapons for native items. This was a common circumstance in colonial situations. As seen by most references on arms of these times, the emphasis was always on guns, and mention of edged weapons is almost incidental.

What I am curious about is why the year invariably in line with the VOC and kamer initial? The latest year I have seen is 1793 (VOC ended in 1796), the earliest 1736. In contrast, the English counterpart, their East India Co. (VEIC) never marked the blades of their edged weapons, only guns and locks (aside from bayonets) with their balemark.

I have understood these blades were either Solingen or made in Holland by perhaps German makers based there. The hilting seems to have been in Dutch shops.
There was a central warehouse at Kloveniersburgwal called East India House, as the arsenal for all weapons, but wonder if appropriate stamping of blades to each chamber was done there or in such location in chamber itself?

[Gavin Nugent]

Jim, thank you for your learned insights here.

Unfortunatly I cannot fully read the date on this Guom example... 17 is there and a partial 0.

The Kamer stamp is partial too... looks like "H".

There are numerous other European stamps to the blade on both sides, Equal armed crosses at each end, effectively encapsulating the date markings. There are crescent symbols that are perhaps "moons" and some other hints of markings I've yet to reveal under the thick old build up on the blade.

Length, blade is 64cms.

When considering this Preanger Gobang I had many years ago with a blade just under 51cm long, it is easy to see how the blades were trimmed to fit native applications.
Further to this, the "H" on the Guom is not large like the "A" on the Gobang and it is below the VOC markings, not above.
What all the orientation means or leads to, I cannot say.

Gavin

[Jim McDougall]

Originally Posted by Gavin Nugent

Jim, thank you for your learned insights here.

Unfortunatly I cannot fully read the date on this Guom example... 17 is there and a partial 0.

The Kamer stamp is partial too... looks like "H".

There are numerous other European stamps to the blade on both sides, Equal armed crosses at each end, effectively encapsulating the date markings. There are crescent symbols that are perhaps "moons" and some other hints of markings I've yet to reveal under the thick old build up on the blade.

Length, blade is 64cms.
When considering this Preanger Gobang I had many years ago with a blade just under 51cm long, it is easy to see how the blades were trimmed to fit native applications.
Further to this, the "H" on the Guom is not large like the "A" on the Gobang and it is below the VOC markings, not above.
What all the orientation means or leads to, I cannot say.

Gavin

Thanks so much Gav!
This is really interesting and I wish we could see the blade to see these makings in configuration as this sounds like it could be an anomaly as far as VOC blades.
If I recall there were variations in the placement of the kamer initial, the A for Amsterdam was most common; with Rotterdam and Middelburg next in commonality. I cannot say I have ever seen an 'H' which may well be for Hoorn.

Of the six chambers , in the 18th c. Hoorn lost its importance as a port city, but retained its place as a regional trade center for localities there. No idea how such subordination might apply, but thought worth noting.