19th century Philippine Halberd from Spanish Colonial Guard

[Battara]

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]

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

[KraVseR]

Originally Posted by David

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

Thanks .

[David]

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]

Sadly David, you have a good point.

[mdp10003]

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.

[estcrh]

Originally Posted by mdp10003

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.

Having been to the Philipines many times I can tell you that the period of the Spanish intervention in the Philippines is an important part of their history, as well as the American and Japanese interventions and items from those times are valued historically even they are not of Philipine origin.

On a recent trip to the Philippines, the Manila airport had a large display of WWII items and photographs showing the destruction and atrocities commited by the Japanese, it was very moving. The Spanish involvement was for a much longer period, I am sure that items from the period would be valued by Filipinos who are interested in the history of their country.

[mdp10003]

Originally Posted by estcrh

The Spanish involvement was for a much longer period, I am sure that items from the period would be valued by Filipinos who are interested in the history of their country.

You are right in that there is a lot of interest in Spanish colonial items, as well as those from the Philippine revolutionary period (1896-1902). That is great that you also have 2 of the halberds!

[Spunjer]

Here's one from Sulu.
on the accompanying note it says, "Steel halbred of the Swiss Pontifical Guard, from the collection of the Sultan of Sulu (Philippines). The Sultan gave it to Colonel Hayes in 1899."