Indonesian Klewangs ???

[Jim McDougall]

Originally Posted by asomotif

Well, I look forward to some detailled pictures.

The blades look like the dutch klewang, but the ricasso looks longer, the fuller looks longer, the curvature seems wrong and the overal finish seems not right to me.

Even old klewang blades that have severe rust + pitting and have been modified, are more recognisable than this pair (sorry)

And the hilts have not the quality of the dutch naval swords they just resamble the rough shape of the lionhead.

As for the VOC marking. wrong size, wrong place on the blade, wrong period.
despite a suggestion of the european arms forums, I have never seen VOC marking on blades of later date as a sort of quality mark.

I am not sure if this type of weapons where made to fool collectors, or maybe have seriously been made shortly after the war as a presentation sword for TNI / Indonesian officers.

Anyway, stil looking forward to detailled pictures

Very astutely observed and well placed notes Asomotif. Its great to see the perspective on these swords here, and as I noted on the post on our European forum, the cross referencing is excellent.

The comment on VOC markings on the European forum was mine, and I should have worded it better. What I meant to say was that the VOC mark certainly survived after the dissolution of that company, and the use of the mark continued spuriously.....not as a quality mark..but as an allusion to that well known device used on subsequently produced weapons.

As has been noted, we can optimistically hope that these were swords produced for officers or presentation in the Indonesian navy, but the fact remains, they could be commercially intended items also.

All best regards,
Jim