Iron hide! One of a kind iron/ steel moro armor!

[estcrh]

Originally Posted by bathala

Ok guys wanred to share my newest aquisition to you! A full steel/iron moro armor! First time I've ever seen or heard one ever existed! Too bad it has been clean loosing the patina but impressive non the less. Weighs at 26.7 lbs. Have any of you guys come upon or heard of similar armor existing? Anyway thank you in advance for you opinions and enjoy! Ps underneath the upper shoulder plate I saw the original darkish rust patina I olso fold traces of carbon powder? Old casting?

I think this was recently made, the Philippines is a very humid collection of Islands and just like Japan were they had to lacquer their armor to keep it from rusting away, there is a reason that Moro armor was made from horn and brass, to keep it from rusting away as well. I do not see any corrosion at all. I would not mind being proved wrong but even the seller does not describe it as being an antique. I have many images of these armors on my Pinterest site but none like this one. https://www.pinterest.com/worldantiq...d-surrounding/

Old Philippine Moro Heavy Chain Mail & Metal Plate Filipino Armor Philippines. vintage Philippine Moro Chain Mail Vest with Metal armour plates. As far as history I picked up this piece some years back at a local Southern California auction.

[Ian]

estrch:

I am inclined to agree with your age assessment. The holes in the iron plates through which the chain mail is attached show no irregularity in shape as one would expect from corrosion over time--the holes are crisp circles. Also, the mail rings are remarkably uniform and free from corrosion. All this suggests recent manufacture to me.

Ian

Originally Posted by estcrh

I think this was recently made, the Philippines is a very humid collection of Islands and just like Japan were they had to lacquer their armor to keep it from rusting away, there is a reason that Moro armor was made from horn and brass, to keep it from rusting away as well. I do not see any corrosion at all. I would not mind being proved wrong but even the seller does not describe it as being an antique. I have many images of these armors on my Pinterest site but none like this one. https://www.pinterest.com/worldantiq...d-surrounding/

[drac2k]

Is it possible that this is an authentic piece that has been heavily cleaned ? I did notice that although the plates are rust free, there is evidence of substantial pitting in places.The brass or copper ornamentation is dual shaded.I have seen heavy chemical cleaning have this same effect on these metals.
I would also assume that if one wanted to create a forgery, it would be easier to bend brass rings rather than steel .
I do acknowledge that making forgeries of Moro armor would certainly be tempting as they are very desirable and can go for hundreds if not thousands of dollars.

[ArmsAndAntiques]

This is an intriguing example I came across some months ago, but Moro not being my an area of particular expertise I wasn't sure if it was truly Moro or not, especially with the iron construction.

[estcrh]

Originally Posted by ArmsAndAntiques

This is an intriguing example I came across some months ago, but Moro not being my an area of particular expertise I wasn't sure if it was truly Moro or not, especially with the iron construction.

A very interesting, non conforming armor, I have never seen a Moro armor with buckles and inscriptions like that, it shows real wear and age in my opinion. Possible a neighboring Muslim country like Indonesia, Malaysia etc.

[Philip]

Looking at Bathala's Moro cuirass again, I'm wondering why some of the plates do look pristine whereas others are visibly pitted. And the pitting not consistent with corrosion, but rather impact-caused, with so many round dimples reminiscent of what a person could inflict using a ball peen hammer with blows of varying intensity. Çan't help but notice, also, that those chain-mail rings look like they were made of machine-drawn wire, way too "industrial" in appearance, and free of wear or any past corrosion. Isn't this a bit incongruous for an ethnographic object made by hand with rudimentary tools, in a damp tropical milieu in which ferrous alloys corrode readily over time?

[kronckew]

...and they appear to be butted rings.

biting the bullet to expose the elephant in the room, it looks very new. cool tho.