New Gunong

Battara · 10th August 2012, 03:35 AM

One caveat to Federico's analysis. The blade appears to me to be a little later, say 1950. I may be wrong, but I have seen the majority of these types of blades as post-WWII. The okir is Maranao and that is still being made today in Marawi City on scabbards.

migueldiaz · 10th August 2012, 03:40 AM

Hi Jose. It looks like you have a point

Because in Krieger's 1926 examples of gunongs above (i.e., nos. 4, 7, 9, & 10), the hilts are not the pistol grip type yet. Thus the pistol grip may have come out more starting after WW2 as you said.

Thanks.

Robert · 10th August 2012, 04:11 AM

Hello Lorenz and thank you for all the information and the links to Federico Malibago's web site. It seems as dating these can be just a bit tricky. On the shape of the hilt he says "At some point between the turn of the century and the 1930s, gunong hilts gradually changed into the more familiar pistol grip." Then I found this on the same site. http://home.earthlink.net/~federicom...es/gunong.html Which he dates to the late 19th century. I know that the blade shape is different from the one I have posted but the hilt is quite similar in style.

Jose, thank you for your information as well as I really appreciate all the help that I can get even if it is not what I would like to hear. At the same time on Federico's site I also found this http://home.earthlink.net/~federicomalibago/megunong.html that has the same blade style as mine which he dates to the 1930's because of the fact that "the fittings are all soldered and not of common post WWII materials." The one I have posted it made of copper and what I believe to be swasa. I really need to get this tested to find out for sure. It is not the brass that would be more common after WWII. Also all the seems on the scabbard cover and the hilt fittings are all soldered on mine. There is not one piece of tubing used on it anywhere. One more point of interest is that this piece has a laminated blade and most of the post WWII blades that I have seen are made of monosteel. I will let the experts decide on the dating of this as I have no knowledge of these what so ever.
Thank you both again and also Federico for all your help.

Robert

migueldiaz · 10th August 2012, 04:15 AM

Thanks Robert for those links (and the pic of Jose's gunongs). Didn't see those webpages before.

Sajen · 10th August 2012, 04:56 PM

Hello Robert,

equal from which time this gunong, it is very very nice and congrats again that you have such a wife!

I have personally my problems to believe that a gunong with ivory pommel is from the time after WW2.

Regards,

Detlef

Battara · 10th August 2012, 05:35 PM

Well if it is a laminated blade, then that changes things a little...........

David · 10th August 2012, 05:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sajen

I have personally my problems to believe that a gunong with ivory pommel is from the time after WW2.

Why is that Detlef. There are many elaborate gunongs that date post WW2. You can still find ivory being used to this day in keris hilts. Why not gunongs?

Sajen · 10th August 2012, 07:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by David

Why is that Detlef. There are many elaborate gunongs that date post WW2. You can still find ivory being used to this day in keris hilts. Why not gunongs?

I think that a keris is a complete different culture thing. Post WW2 gunongs are made in my opinion for "tourists" and not for locals (maybe I am wrong by this??

). Elaborate workmanship wasn't expensive to this time but ivory was I think. The gunong in question seems IMHO a representation piece for a local. Or I am so wrong??

10th August 2012, 04:11 AM	#3
Robert EAAF Staff Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Centerville, Kansas Posts: 2,196	Hello Lorenz and thank you for all the information and the links to Federico Malibago's web site. It seems as dating these can be just a bit tricky. On the shape of the hilt he says "At some point between the turn of the century and the 1930s, gunong hilts gradually changed into the more familiar pistol grip." Then I found this on the same site. http://home.earthlink.net/~federicom...es/gunong.html Which he dates to the late 19th century. I know that the blade shape is different from the one I have posted but the hilt is quite similar in style. Jose, thank you for your information as well as I really appreciate all the help that I can get even if it is not what I would like to hear. At the same time on Federico's site I also found this http://home.earthlink.net/~federicomalibago/megunong.html that has the same blade style as mine which he dates to the 1930's because of the fact that "the fittings are all soldered and not of common post WWII materials." The one I have posted it made of copper and what I believe to be swasa. I really need to get this tested to find out for sure. It is not the brass that would be more common after WWII. Also all the seems on the scabbard cover and the hilt fittings are all soldered on mine. There is not one piece of tubing used on it anywhere. One more point of interest is that this piece has a laminated blade and most of the post WWII blades that I have seen are made of monosteel. I will let the experts decide on the dating of this as I have no knowledge of these what so ever. Thank you both again and also Federico for all your help. Robert Last edited by Robert Coleman; 10th August 2012 at 05:04 AM.

10th August 2012, 04:15 AM	#4
migueldiaz Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Manila, Phils. Posts: 1,042	Thanks Robert for those links (and the pic of Jose's gunongs). Didn't see those webpages before. Attached Images

10th August 2012, 03:35 AM	#1
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,280	One caveat to Federico's analysis. The blade appears to me to be a little later, say 1950. I may be wrong, but I have seen the majority of these types of blades as post-WWII. The okir is Maranao and that is still being made today in Marawi City on scabbards.

10th August 2012, 03:40 AM	#2
migueldiaz Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Manila, Phils. Posts: 1,042	Hi Jose. It looks like you have a point Because in Krieger's 1926 examples of gunongs above (i.e., nos. 4, 7, 9, & 10), the hilts are not the pistol grip type yet. Thus the pistol grip may have come out more starting after WW2 as you said. Thanks.

10th August 2012, 04:56 PM	#5
Sajen Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Germany, Dortmund Posts: 9,207	Hello Robert, equal from which time this gunong, it is very very nice and congrats again that you have such a wife! I have personally my problems to believe that a gunong with ivory pommel is from the time after WW2. Regards, Detlef

10th August 2012, 05:35 PM	#6
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,280	Well if it is a laminated blade, then that changes things a little...........