Keris, inscription, rough age.

David · 23rd May 2024, 01:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Helleri

Maybe calling it a pseudo-keris would be appropriate.

Not really. A keris is not at all dependent upon having a wavy blade. In fact most keris have straight blades. So calling a blade a "keris" based solely of the fact that it is a wavy blade never really makes sense. I do understand that it has become a rather common misconception though.

Ian · 23rd May 2024, 03:48 PM

Hi helleri,

Thanks for taking such an interest in a friend's old bolo and posting it here for discussion. It's actually a fairly common knife from central/northern Luzon. So, not made in the Visayas. Many of these were made in the Province of Pampanga and sold to U.S. soldiers who were stationed at Clarke AFB and the US Naval base nearby at Subic Bay. They were usually sold with a soft leather sheath, stitched up the back, similar to the one shown in the pictures below.

The Negrito people (also known as Aete) are a small race who live in central Luzon. Some lived in areas on and adjacent to the old Clarke AFB. They do not make the knives that bear the name "Negrito bolo." This term was likely added to enhance the sale of such knives to U.S. servicemen who were friendly with the local Negrito groups. It should be noted that the Negritos were very active in resisting the Japanese occupation of Luzon during WWII, another reason to include their name on these knives for marketing purposes.

Similar wavy bladed knives were made before the mid-20th C, but were not labeled "Negrito bolo" until post-WWII.

Although these are knives that were made in some quantity largely for foreigners, the blades were often of reasonable quality, tempered, and could hold a sharp edge. They are legitimate weapons made in a strongly blade-oriented country.

Helleri · 23rd May 2024, 11:21 PM

Yeah I feel like this thing is fairly solid. Like it could easily be used for bush whacking with no damage to it. And I don't think it being rather common or somewhat before the periods of big interest really matters. It's got a good story to it that plays out over decades. Perhaps a few details of which are not entirely true or accurate. But fun none the less. It will be a neat side project to make a new sheath for it as well that looks close to what the original might have.

Bob A · 24th May 2024, 01:31 AM

The inscription on the blade in question is pretty crude. This might lend itself to the idea that it is an early example, lacking the more sophisticated inscription and metal finishing in the later so-called "tourist" iterations.

Or perhaps it was made to emulate the successful tourist blades, but by a smith whose skills were less advanced, less commercial.

Closer to a folk art piece, IMO, and possibly an early post-WWII example.

Helleri · 25th May 2024, 10:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob A

The inscription on the blade in question is pretty crude. This might lend itself to the idea that it is an early example, lacking the more sophisticated inscription and metal finishing in the later so-called "tourist" iterations.

Or perhaps it was made to emulate the successful tourist blades, but by a smith whose skills were less advanced, less commercial.

Closer to a folk art piece, IMO, and possibly an early post-WWII example.

The quality of the inscription was the first thing I really noticed when it came into my possession. I wasn't even sure they were English characters and thought it might have just been someone's name as a sort of property tag.

Both the possibilities you've presented occurred to me. Also that it could even be both simultaneously. Perhaps not even a smith. Maybe just some one who had a knife, had a file, and needed some money. There are just soooo many file marks on this afterall. They seriously don't show well with my camera and lighting. But someone went to work on it.

Like I said in my original post, the guard doesn't even appear to have been brazed to the blade. Rather (in person at least) it seems very obvious that someone filed the final shape of the guard with it in place and made an effort to work it up against the blade and close that gap as much as they could to make it look brazed. I thought it was brazed for a second before I really looked at it. So it seems likely they didn't have the means to braze it.

23rd May 2024, 03:48 PM	#2
Ian Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: The Aussie Bush Posts: 4,094	Hi helleri, Thanks for taking such an interest in a friend's old bolo and posting it here for discussion. It's actually a fairly common knife from central/northern Luzon. So, not made in the Visayas. Many of these were made in the Province of Pampanga and sold to U.S. soldiers who were stationed at Clarke AFB and the US Naval base nearby at Subic Bay. They were usually sold with a soft leather sheath, stitched up the back, similar to the one shown in the pictures below. The Negrito people (also known as Aete) are a small race who live in central Luzon. Some lived in areas on and adjacent to the old Clarke AFB. They do not make the knives that bear the name "Negrito bolo." This term was likely added to enhance the sale of such knives to U.S. servicemen who were friendly with the local Negrito groups. It should be noted that the Negritos were very active in resisting the Japanese occupation of Luzon during WWII, another reason to include their name on these knives for marketing purposes. Similar wavy bladed knives were made before the mid-20th C, but were not labeled "Negrito bolo" until post-WWII. Although these are knives that were made in some quantity largely for foreigners, the blades were often of reasonable quality, tempered, and could hold a sharp edge. They are legitimate weapons made in a strongly blade-oriented country. Last edited by Ian; 23rd May 2024 at 04:00 PM.

24th May 2024, 01:31 AM	#4
Bob A Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Posts: 419	The inscription on the blade in question is pretty crude. This might lend itself to the idea that it is an early example, lacking the more sophisticated inscription and metal finishing in the later so-called "tourist" iterations. Or perhaps it was made to emulate the successful tourist blades, but by a smith whose skills were less advanced, less commercial. Closer to a folk art piece, IMO, and possibly an early post-WWII example. Last edited by Bob A; 24th May 2024 at 05:48 AM.

23rd May 2024, 11:21 PM	#3
Helleri Member Join Date: Jan 2016 Location: Chino, CA. Posts: 217	Yeah I feel like this thing is fairly solid. Like it could easily be used for bush whacking with no damage to it. And I don't think it being rather common or somewhat before the periods of big interest really matters. It's got a good story to it that plays out over decades. Perhaps a few details of which are not entirely true or accurate. But fun none the less. It will be a neat side project to make a new sheath for it as well that looks close to what the original might have.