Tjikeroeh swords

[Ian]

Originally Posted by Amuk Murugul

Hello everybody,



Ian,
How sure are you about the beginning period? I am told that there is a similar klewang with 1773 stamped on the blade.

Regards.

Hi Amuk Murugul:

The Dutch klewang, on which the clipped-blade saber forms of these Tjikeroeh swords are based, was placed in service by the Dutch military in 1898. So it is likely that the locally copied versions post-date that time.

I do think that the manufacture of European style knives and swords, with antler hilts and other "Westernized" features, arose about that time. These are among the very few swords and knives in SE Asia that actually carry a date of manufacture. I've not seen any before about 1890, and the most recent in the mid-1920s. The incising of the numbers can be rather confusing sometimes, and a 9 can be confused for a 7 on some inscriptions (one of mine shows a 9 that could easily be read as a 7). I doubt that any of these knives and swords date from the 18th C. -- they look in too good shape to be that old.

Regards,

Ian.