19th century Philippine Halberd from Spanish Colonial Guard

mdp10003 · 25th August 2014, 05:00 AM

I was contacted over the weekend by the deputy director of the National Museum of the Philippines, and they are very interested in acquiring at least one of the halberd heads I was fortunate enough to win in auction. I am leaning towards donating one to the National Museum, where they can find their way home in Manila. I am just doing due diligence to see if they really need this in their collection, and what its likely fate would be in their collection. (Sorry, Robert).

KraVseR · 25th August 2014, 12:28 PM

Thanks! I find few images, this is Alabarderos de la Guardia del Virrey or not?

mdp10003 · 25th August 2014, 01:45 PM

I am not certain - they are certainly Albarderos, but probably not Virreyes (which means viceroy), since that unit was discontinued.

Battara · 26th August 2014, 12:09 AM

Yes check on what the museums will do. I was told that some of my things should go to a museum other there as national treasures (according to Antique Road Show) but not now since they may go in through the front door and out the back door!

David · 26th August 2014, 12:58 AM

This may be one of the fellows you are looking for since he is carrying your halberd.

KraVseR · 26th August 2014, 09:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by David

This may be one of the fellows you are looking for since he is carrying your halberd.

Thanks

.

David · 26th August 2014, 01:17 AM

Not to dissuade you further, but while this is certainly part of the history of the Philippines in colonial times, were these not Spanish weapons welded by Spanish guards? Were they more likely to have been forged in the Philippines or Spain? By Europeans of Filipinos?
You would also be right to investigate exactly what they actually need in their collections and what the fate of this piece would be in their hands. I was just doing some research and was greatly disappointed to discover that while the Metropolitan Museum of Art has about 200 keris in their arms & armory collection not a single one of them is actually on display (and only about a half dozen have been photographed for their online collections gallery). Also, many museums have notoriously paid rather poor attention to the care and maintenance of their edged weapons collections, especially when they end up in draws in the basement instead of on display.

Battara · 26th August 2014, 01:56 AM

Sadly David, you have a good point.

mdp10003 · 26th August 2014, 02:46 AM

Thanks everyone for your thoughts on museum collections. I do believe there is merit in museums having items in their collections for research (and not necessarily display), but what I am uncertain of is if there really is even research and heritage value for these halberds. Like it was pointed out, they are really Spanish colonial weapons rather than Filipino.

25th August 2014, 05:00 AM	#1
mdp10003 Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Posts: 28	Donating to the National Museum I was contacted over the weekend by the deputy director of the National Museum of the Philippines, and they are very interested in acquiring at least one of the halberd heads I was fortunate enough to win in auction. I am leaning towards donating one to the National Museum, where they can find their way home in Manila. I am just doing due diligence to see if they really need this in their collection, and what its likely fate would be in their collection. (Sorry, Robert).

25th August 2014, 12:28 PM	#2
KraVseR Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Ukraine Posts: 128	Thanks! I find few images, this is Alabarderos de la Guardia del Virrey or not? Attached Images

26th August 2014, 12:58 AM	#5
David Keris forum moderator Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Nova Scotia Posts: 7,209	This may be one of the fellows you are looking for since he is carrying your halberd. Attached Images

26th August 2014, 01:17 AM	#7
David Keris forum moderator Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Nova Scotia Posts: 7,209	Not to dissuade you further, but while this is certainly part of the history of the Philippines in colonial times, were these not Spanish weapons welded by Spanish guards? Were they more likely to have been forged in the Philippines or Spain? By Europeans of Filipinos? You would also be right to investigate exactly what they actually need in their collections and what the fate of this piece would be in their hands. I was just doing some research and was greatly disappointed to discover that while the Metropolitan Museum of Art has about 200 keris in their arms & armory collection not a single one of them is actually on display (and only about a half dozen have been photographed for their online collections gallery). Also, many museums have notoriously paid rather poor attention to the care and maintenance of their edged weapons collections, especially when they end up in draws in the basement instead of on display. Last edited by David; 26th August 2014 at 01:48 AM.

25th August 2014, 01:45 PM	#3
mdp10003 Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Posts: 28	I am not certain - they are certainly Albarderos, but probably not Virreyes (which means viceroy), since that unit was discontinued.

26th August 2014, 12:09 AM	#4
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,270	Yes check on what the museums will do. I was told that some of my things should go to a museum other there as national treasures (according to Antique Road Show) but not now since they may go in through the front door and out the back door!

26th August 2014, 01:56 AM	#8
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,270	Sadly David, you have a good point.

26th August 2014, 02:46 AM	#9
mdp10003 Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Posts: 28	Thanks everyone for your thoughts on museum collections. I do believe there is merit in museums having items in their collections for research (and not necessarily display), but what I am uncertain of is if there really is even research and heritage value for these halberds. Like it was pointed out, they are really Spanish colonial weapons rather than Filipino.