Help ID'ing a spear-head/knife

shayde78 · 13th July 2017, 02:08 AM

I'm wondering if anyone knows the significance of the four-faced pommel? It seems to follow an (unknown to me) convention of a happy, angry, sad, and peaceful face. Any thoughts?

yuanzhumin · 18th December 2017, 12:40 PM

Hello,

Well, its the first time I see such a four faced figures added on a Northern Taiwanese aboriginal knife. This is absolutely not traditional, even if the face appears not recently done.

This is an Atayal/Sediq/Truku knife, and non of them had carved human figures except the one made much later, starting mid-40s, and only to sell to outsiders in order to make money.

The design with a happy or sad and 2 other different faces is more a western concept.

kronckew · 18th December 2017, 02:00 PM

I suspect the butt plug was not original and was added sometime after, possibly by a favoured child pushing one of it's toys into daddy's knife & dad liked it.

or a crude early version of:

The four faces of the Buddah: https://www.novica.com/p/balinese-bu...uddhas/219486/

Sajen · 18th December 2017, 02:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kronckew

I suspect the butt plug was not original and was added sometime after, possibly by a favoured child pushing one of it's toys into daddy's knife & dad liked it.

Agree with you.

When the knife would be mine I would remove the wood plug.

kronckew · 18th December 2017, 02:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yuanzhumin

Hello,

The design with a happy or sad and 2 other different faces is more a western concept.

See my edited post above re: the four faces of the Buddah.

Richard G · 18th December 2017, 06:17 PM

Yes, a significant and common Buddhist motif
try https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phra_Phrom
Regards
Richard

shayde78 · 10th January 2018, 02:12 AM

Thank you for the comments. The plug seems intentionally made for the socket, and the faces deftly carved by someone familiar with the motif.

Also, has anyone seen such an example with a socket hilt? It has remnants of a pithy wood deep in the socket, as though it was mounted as a spear/pole arm. Thoughts?

13th July 2017, 02:08 AM	#1
shayde78 Member Join Date: Mar 2017 Posts: 445	I'm wondering if anyone knows the significance of the four-faced pommel? It seems to follow an (unknown to me) convention of a happy, angry, sad, and peaceful face. Any thoughts? Last edited by Ian; 19th December 2017 at 04:08 PM. Reason: Font size

18th December 2017, 12:40 PM	#2
yuanzhumin Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Ex-Taipei, Taiwan, now in Shanghai, China Posts: 180	Hello, Well, its the first time I see such a four faced figures added on a Northern Taiwanese aboriginal knife. This is absolutely not traditional, even if the face appears not recently done. This is an Atayal/Sediq/Truku knife, and non of them had carved human figures except the one made much later, starting mid-40s, and only to sell to outsiders in order to make money. The design with a happy or sad and 2 other different faces is more a western concept.

18th December 2017, 02:00 PM	#3
kronckew Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Room 101, Glos. UK Posts: 4,215	I suspect the butt plug was not original and was added sometime after, possibly by a favoured child pushing one of it's toys into daddy's knife & dad liked it. or a crude early version of: The four faces of the Buddah: https://www.novica.com/p/balinese-bu...uddhas/219486/

18th December 2017, 06:17 PM	#6
Richard G Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 409	Yes, a significant and common Buddhist motif try https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phra_Phrom Regards Richard

10th January 2018, 02:12 AM	#7
shayde78 Member Join Date: Mar 2017 Posts: 445	Thank you for the comments. The plug seems intentionally made for the socket, and the faces deftly carved by someone familiar with the motif. Also, has anyone seen such an example with a socket hilt? It has remnants of a pithy wood deep in the socket, as though it was mounted as a spear/pole arm. Thoughts?