A strange sword on eBay

[Mytribalworld]

Originally Posted by Jim McDougall

Parang sounds likely, in fact I completely agree with Tim, TVV, Spiral, Rsword and Vandoo with this attribution as well as Ariel.

I am inclined to doubt the 'kastane' attribution or suggested provenance, so I think our established definition of these Sinhalese swords will remain sound.
The zoomorphic hilt with the makara is most interesting, and does resemble those seen on the kastane, however the guard has no resemblance to the profusely ornate and developed form on these distinct swords. It seems that the animal image on the kastane hilt is in many cases interpreted as being a lion head, with that representation associated with the ancestral legends of the early kingdom of Sinhala (Sinha =lion), though many of the heads do look more like makara.

The hilt form noted in Stone as parang nabor have animal head pommels and varying forms of knuckleguard type hilts. While these hilts are noted as Malayan, it seems to me that the silverwork in the hilt may be Indonesian, as well as the pamor in the blade.

I think its from Sumatra ( no proof).
The guard is not the style they used in Borneo on the parang nabur but on Sumatra they do.
I found a Ivory handled sword ( mandailing) on the site of the Leiden museum what has something in common with the hilt on the sword on ebay.
See the upward curling nose, the plce of the eye and the similar grooves at the beginning of the hilt.
Also there are some minagkabau swords who has this type of thin decorated handles.This could be a mix between them?

Arjan.

[Henk]

The hilt looks like that of a sumatran pedang. Sumatra is very likely. I think it is a sumatran parang or pedang.

[VANDOO]

HERE IS ANOTHER VARIATION SAID TO HAVE COME FROM CEYLON/ SIRI LANKA VERY SIMULAR TO THE OTHER ONE BUT LOOKS MORE RECENT AND NOT AS WELL MADE. I HAVE SEEN SOMETHING SIMULAR BUT WITH A DRAGONS HEAD CARRIED BY THE INDONESIAN TROOPS OCCUPING AMBON IN THE MOLUCCAS. SO PERHAPS THESE ARE A TYPE OF MILITARY ISSUE DAGGER.
THEY KIND OF TELL ME MADE IN INDIA ,AFTER ALL CEYLON IS VERY CLOSE TO INDIA SO SIMULAR WORK IS PROBABLY BEING DONE IN BOTH COUNTRYS TODAY.