Chrome On Philippine Blades Question

Battara · 15th April 2011, 11:41 PM

This was a popular treatment against rust (and making it a shiny blade) from the the late 19th-mid 20th century. You will see this not only on some Philippines pieces, but on pick ups by Victorians (koras for example) and even US Civil War blades. These are more nickel plating rather than chrome.

Robert · 16th April 2011, 12:06 AM

Here is the latest example that I ran across. I just don't want to change anything that could be original to this by mistake even though I am not fond of chrome and think it would look better without it. Here are some of the auction photos.

Robert

Battara · 16th April 2011, 01:10 AM

I always take off the chrome/nickel plating. It is never original to the piece.

David · 16th April 2011, 01:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Battara

I always take off the chrome/nickel plating. It is never original to the piece.

How do you do that Jose?

kino · 16th April 2011, 03:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by David

How do you do that Jose?

Yeah, how do you do that?

Battara · 16th April 2011, 04:44 AM

Although chrome was used on the tips of bronze Chinese crossbows and tips found in tombs, chrome plating was not in production until the 19th century, and that being in use by the West, especially after large deposits of chrome were found in the US and then later in Turkey. Chrome by itself is not indigenous to Southeast Asia as far as I know.

As I mentioned earlier, the common practice by both Victorian and American collectors of ethnographic weaponry (and US Civil War) was to plate the blade to prevent rusting. I even know of a collector that 2 years ago took a US Civil War foot officer's sword and chromed it to get a shiny blade!

Robert · 16th April 2011, 05:16 AM

Quote:

Although chrome was used on the tips of bronze Chinese crossbows and tips found in tombs, chrome plating was not in production until the 19th century, and that being in use by the West, especially after large deposits of chrome were found in the US and then later in Turkey. Chrome by itself is not indigenous to Southeast Asia as far as I know.

As I mentioned earlier, the common practice by both Victorian and American collectors of ethnographic weaponry (and US Civil War) was to plate the blade to prevent rusting. I even know of a collector that 2 years ago took a US Civil War foot officer's sword and chromed it to get a shiny blade!

This is more in answer to my original question about chrome plating. What I wanted to know was if it was a common practice in the Philippines to chrome plate blades. I know it was in the U.S. at one point but, if it was a practice in the Philippines to do this I thought it would be better to leave it as is. If it was done in this country after the piece was brought here then removing the plating would be an acceptable thing to do.

Robert

David · 16th April 2011, 05:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Battara

I always take off the chrome/nickel plating. It is never original to the piece.

Jose, could you answer this question more specifically?

How do you go about doing this?

16th April 2011, 12:06 AM	#2
Robert EAAF Staff Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Centerville, Kansas Posts: 2,196	Here is the latest example that I ran across. I just don't want to change anything that could be original to this by mistake even though I am not fond of chrome and think it would look better without it. Here are some of the auction photos. Robert Attached Images

15th April 2011, 11:41 PM	#1
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,272	This was a popular treatment against rust (and making it a shiny blade) from the the late 19th-mid 20th century. You will see this not only on some Philippines pieces, but on pick ups by Victorians (koras for example) and even US Civil War blades. These are more nickel plating rather than chrome.

16th April 2011, 01:10 AM	#3
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,272	I always take off the chrome/nickel plating. It is never original to the piece.

16th April 2011, 04:44 AM	#6
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,272	Although chrome was used on the tips of bronze Chinese crossbows and tips found in tombs, chrome plating was not in production until the 19th century, and that being in use by the West, especially after large deposits of chrome were found in the US and then later in Turkey. Chrome by itself is not indigenous to Southeast Asia as far as I know. As I mentioned earlier, the common practice by both Victorian and American collectors of ethnographic weaponry (and US Civil War) was to plate the blade to prevent rusting. I even know of a collector that 2 years ago took a US Civil War foot officer's sword and chromed it to get a shiny blade!