New Acquisition, Mandau, said to be 1800's

JoeCanada42 · 21st February 2023, 02:31 AM

last of photos

JoeCanada42 · 21st February 2023, 04:14 AM

...in a YouTube video I heard mention of old Mandau's made with Dutch wagon springs, anyways.. , while meditating about the Marking on the blade I had a thought... did I stumble into a V.O.C. ???

milandro · 21st February 2023, 08:18 AM

your Mandau appears to be old, whether that may also lead to the conclusion that it is an antique I don't know.

The VOC was disbanded in 1798. I think it is extremely unlikely that this Punched C belongs to a VOC designations, which are , to my knowledge, incisions made with a chisel.

JoeCanada42 · 21st February 2023, 08:45 AM

When I rotate it and look closely The letter Resembles more
G.
and a few spaces ahead of it I see the remains of "S" or a number " 3?, 5?"

Perhaps the " G. " could be for Galle Ceylon

milandro · 21st February 2023, 08:54 AM

I suppose this blade could be certainly cleaned of its rust without necessarily detract from its age and show more of its markings. I doubt that there will be any positive ID from its origin even after that has happened (and something should be done to preserve the blade since there appears to be active rust on its surface)

Anyway the markings appear to be showing a western influence either in the steel or the forge. A piece entirely forged with Dayak material wouldn't have this kind of markings. The piece MAY be from the '20 but I doubt is as old as you have been told.

JoeCanada42 · 21st February 2023, 08:58 AM

the G

perhaps, certainly its got a European touch. but why would a European put that there in the 20's? , I'm leaning more towards colonial trade markings

milandro · 21st February 2023, 09:03 AM

because earlier markings are not punched but chiseled and because of the lettertype used it looks , to me , something of the beginning od the 20th century

One can hypothesise any kind of thing but the reality is that without any safe and documented provenance they stay hypothesis

This, to my eye, is a pice made either with a piece of western steel or by a western smith which was repurposed to make this Mandau.

Even pieces made on Tjikeroeh (where lots of stuff was forged , in any sense of this verb.....) are showing the dates and other markings chiseled (as late as the '30)

JoeCanada42 · 21st February 2023, 09:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by milandro

A piece entirely forged with Dayak material wouldn't have this kind of markings. .

I wouldn't be to Shure about that.., maybe it was entirely forged by a Dayak, then acquired by a European or company, and had the identifying mark or initials put on after.

21st February 2023, 02:31 AM	#1
JoeCanada42 Member Join Date: Jan 2021 Location: Canada Posts: 259	last of photos Attached Images

21st February 2023, 08:58 AM	#6
JoeCanada42 Member Join Date: Jan 2021 Location: Canada Posts: 259	the G perhaps, certainly its got a European touch. but why would a European put that there in the 20's? , I'm leaning more towards colonial trade markings Attached Images

21st February 2023, 09:03 AM	#7
milandro Member Join Date: Jan 2022 Location: Netherlands Posts: 487	because earlier markings are not punched but chiseled and because of the lettertype used it looks , to me , something of the beginning od the 20th century One can hypothesise any kind of thing but the reality is that without any safe and documented provenance they stay hypothesis This, to my eye, is a pice made either with a piece of western steel or by a western smith which was repurposed to make this Mandau. Even pieces made on Tjikeroeh (where lots of stuff was forged , in any sense of this verb.....) are showing the dates and other markings chiseled (as late as the '30) Attached Images

21st February 2023, 04:14 AM	#2
JoeCanada42 Member Join Date: Jan 2021 Location: Canada Posts: 259	...in a YouTube video I heard mention of old Mandau's made with Dutch wagon springs, anyways.. , while meditating about the Marking on the blade I had a thought... did I stumble into a V.O.C. ???

21st February 2023, 08:18 AM	#3
milandro Member Join Date: Jan 2022 Location: Netherlands Posts: 487	your Mandau appears to be old, whether that may also lead to the conclusion that it is an antique I don't know. The VOC was disbanded in 1798. I think it is extremely unlikely that this Punched C belongs to a VOC designations, which are , to my knowledge, incisions made with a chisel.

21st February 2023, 08:45 AM	#4
JoeCanada42 Member Join Date: Jan 2021 Location: Canada Posts: 259	When I rotate it and look closely The letter Resembles more G. and a few spaces ahead of it I see the remains of "S" or a number " 3?, 5?" Perhaps the " G. " could be for Galle Ceylon

21st February 2023, 08:54 AM	#5
milandro Member Join Date: Jan 2022 Location: Netherlands Posts: 487	I suppose this blade could be certainly cleaned of its rust without necessarily detract from its age and show more of its markings. I doubt that there will be any positive ID from its origin even after that has happened (and something should be done to preserve the blade since there appears to be active rust on its surface) Anyway the markings appear to be showing a western influence either in the steel or the forge. A piece entirely forged with Dayak material wouldn't have this kind of markings. The piece MAY be from the '20 but I doubt is as old as you have been told.