Do I have a Garab?

Sajen · 20th January 2014, 08:35 AM

Congratulations Steve! That's the second one in short time with laminated blade! Nice that the beautiful carved handle isn't broken.

Regards,

Detlef

CharlesS · 20th January 2014, 12:32 PM

Great example Steve, and one of the finest blades on one I have seen. Congrats!

Battara · 20th January 2014, 02:42 PM

Steve I agree with what everyone said. congratulations on a great piece!

On the one hand it would have been great to have the scabbard.

On the other hand I have seen on very rare occasion garab/talibon that have metal (brass or silver) on the hilts. The carving is superb and it has brass on the hilt, a truly rare variant (never mind the laminated blade).

Ferguson · 20th January 2014, 04:17 PM

Thank all of you gentlemen for your comments. I feel extremely lucky to have picked up this piece. Looking at the recent pictures of your wonderful Garab, made me more attuned to the Visayan pieces. I now have Tenegre, Binangon, bolo from Iloilo, and now the Garab. Maybe a Visayan family portrait soon!

Battara, I have a feeling that the brass strip and leather covering was a repair by someone to replace the missing rattan covering. But it doesn't look recent.

Thanks again,

Steve

kino · 21st January 2014, 04:01 AM

What a handsome sword. Good job on the clean up. Congrats on a good catch.

kai · 23rd January 2014, 09:10 AM

Hello Jose,

Quote:

On the other hand I have seen on very rare occasion garab/talibon that have metal (brass or silver) on the hilts.

Any chance that you could post pics, please?

Quote:

The carving is superb

Agreed that the pommel is very nicely carved; and intact ones are not common anymore (if they ever were)!

Regards,
Kai

Battara · 24th January 2014, 12:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kai

Hello Jose,

Any chance that you could post pics, please?

Sorry I would love to, but this was years ago when I didn't think to have film in a camera. It was at a gun and knife show. 2 garab of wood and each had brass embellishments on them, each a different in style on each, but there along with the wood carvings. Again very rare.

I suppose looking back it is possible that there may have been some brass to cover repair work.......

Ferguson · 24th January 2014, 09:27 AM

Kai,

The second picture is the reverse of the blade. It shows all high carbon steel to within about 1/2" of the spine. The spine shows laminations.

I agree about the leather repair. It does not look like an indigenous repair. I thought about a simple rattan wrap, but decided to leave it in the state that I found it.

Thanks,
Steve

20th January 2014, 08:35 AM	#1
Sajen Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Germany, Dortmund Posts: 9,207	Congratulations Steve! That's the second one in short time with laminated blade! Nice that the beautiful carved handle isn't broken. Regards, Detlef

20th January 2014, 12:32 PM	#2
CharlesS Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Greenville, NC Posts: 1,854	Great example Steve, and one of the finest blades on one I have seen. Congrats!

20th January 2014, 02:42 PM	#3
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,280	Steve I agree with what everyone said. congratulations on a great piece! On the one hand it would have been great to have the scabbard. On the other hand I have seen on very rare occasion garab/talibon that have metal (brass or silver) on the hilts. The carving is superb and it has brass on the hilt, a truly rare variant (never mind the laminated blade).

20th January 2014, 04:17 PM	#4
Ferguson Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Kernersville, NC, USA Posts: 793	Thank all of you gentlemen for your comments. I feel extremely lucky to have picked up this piece. Looking at the recent pictures of your wonderful Garab, made me more attuned to the Visayan pieces. I now have Tenegre, Binangon, bolo from Iloilo, and now the Garab. Maybe a Visayan family portrait soon! Battara, I have a feeling that the brass strip and leather covering was a repair by someone to replace the missing rattan covering. But it doesn't look recent. Thanks again, Steve

21st January 2014, 04:01 AM	#5
kino Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 1,018	What a handsome sword. Good job on the clean up. Congrats on a good catch.

24th January 2014, 09:27 AM	#8
Ferguson Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Kernersville, NC, USA Posts: 793	Kai, The second picture is the reverse of the blade. It shows all high carbon steel to within about 1/2" of the spine. The spine shows laminations. I agree about the leather repair. It does not look like an indigenous repair. I thought about a simple rattan wrap, but decided to leave it in the state that I found it. Thanks, Steve