Insights on unusual kampilan?

Ian · 18th September 2014, 03:58 PM

Thanks Oliver. Yes, it is hard to pin down just where some of these items came from that were brought back from the Spanish-American and Philippine-American conflicts. The US troops got around quite a bit and high ranking officers received gifts from many parties--not all swords were picked up on the battlefield.

I've attached pictures (below) of the long axis of this kampilan. Actually, I think this one is closer to a Type II hilt, and it's interesting to look back at my old post and see a very similar hilt (with a similar scrolled guard) that was classified then as a Type II hilt -- see Figure 5, example on right.

Here is the description of the present kampilan from the auction:

"A MORO KAMPILAN SWORD
The wooden hilt of typical form, with bifurcate pommel and broad, scrolled crossguard, finely carved overall, with bilobate iron guard and rattan grip-wrap intact. The long, unusually broad single-edged blade expanding toward the profiled and pierced tip.Latter 19th century.Donated to the John Woodman Higgins Armory Museum, Worcester, Massachusetts, on May 9, 1957 by Nathaniel Sage, Jr. and William H. Sage III, grandsons of Brigadier General William Hamden Sage (1859-1922.) General Sage was professor of Military Sciences and Tactics, Central University of Kentucky, Richmond, 1892-93. He acted as Aide-de-Camp to General Ovenshine in the Philippines in 1898, where he further served as Adjutant General, 1st and 2nd Brigades, 1st Division, XIII Army Corps, Adjutant General, 3rd District, Mindanao, Jolo and Malsbang, Philippines, 1906. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for service during the Philippine Insurrection at Zapote River, June 13, 1899. His citation reads: With 9 men volunteered to hold an advanced position and held it against a terrific fire of the enemy estimated at 1,000 strong. Taking a rifle from a wounded man, and cartridges from the belts of others, Captain Sage himself killed 5 of the enemy. Overall length 96.5 cm. Condition I"

There is reference here to the General having served in Jolo and Malsbang. I think that Malsbang is probably a typo, and the correct spelling is Malabang. A search for Malsbang turns up an article in an old newspaper from California (San Francisco Call, 17 April 1902) that reports the killing of an American soldier in the Lake Lanao region and the dispatch of a punitive expedition to arrest the murderers. There destination was near Malsbang. There is no mention of William Sage in the article. However, if Malsbang is actually Malabang, then the General would indeed have served in the Lake Lanao region and have come in contact with the Maranao.

18th September 2014, 03:58 PM	#11
Ian Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: The Aussie Bush Posts: 4,398	Thanks Oliver. Yes, it is hard to pin down just where some of these items came from that were brought back from the Spanish-American and Philippine-American conflicts. The US troops got around quite a bit and high ranking officers received gifts from many parties--not all swords were picked up on the battlefield. I've attached pictures (below) of the long axis of this kampilan. Actually, I think this one is closer to a Type II hilt, and it's interesting to look back at my old post and see a very similar hilt (with a similar scrolled guard) that was classified then as a Type II hilt -- see Figure 5, example on right. Here is the description of the present kampilan from the auction: "A MORO KAMPILAN SWORD The wooden hilt of typical form, with bifurcate pommel and broad, scrolled crossguard, finely carved overall, with bilobate iron guard and rattan grip-wrap intact. The long, unusually broad single-edged blade expanding toward the profiled and pierced tip.Latter 19th century.Donated to the John Woodman Higgins Armory Museum, Worcester, Massachusetts, on May 9, 1957 by Nathaniel Sage, Jr. and William H. Sage III, grandsons of Brigadier General William Hamden Sage (1859-1922.) General Sage was professor of Military Sciences and Tactics, Central University of Kentucky, Richmond, 1892-93. He acted as Aide-de-Camp to General Ovenshine in the Philippines in 1898, where he further served as Adjutant General, 1st and 2nd Brigades, 1st Division, XIII Army Corps, Adjutant General, 3rd District, Mindanao, Jolo and Malsbang, Philippines, 1906. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for service during the Philippine Insurrection at Zapote River, June 13, 1899. His citation reads: With 9 men volunteered to hold an advanced position and held it against a terrific fire of the enemy estimated at 1,000 strong. Taking a rifle from a wounded man, and cartridges from the belts of others, Captain Sage himself killed 5 of the enemy. Overall length 96.5 cm. Condition I" There is reference here to the General having served in Jolo and Malsbang. I think that Malsbang is probably a typo, and the correct spelling is Malabang. A search for Malsbang turns up an article in an old newspaper from California (San Francisco Call, 17 April 1902) that reports the killing of an American soldier in the Lake Lanao region and the dispatch of a punitive expedition to arrest the murderers. There destination was near Malsbang. There is no mention of William Sage in the article. However, if Malsbang is actually Malabang, then the General would indeed have served in the Lake Lanao region and have come in contact with the Maranao. Attached Images