Philippine? sword ID help please

Robert · 14th March 2005, 07:32 PM

Just picked this up off of ebay and could use some help in identifying its age and where it was made. Total length is 20 inches. I haven't received it yet so that's all the info I have. Thanks for any help that anyone can offer.

Robert

LabanTayo · 14th March 2005, 11:18 PM

robert,
thats a Golok from Indonesia.
a nice one at that.
nice find.

Ian · 14th March 2005, 11:30 PM

Probably from Java. Age is hard to judge -- maybe early to mid-20th C.

tom hyle · 15th March 2005, 02:40 AM

Beauty. I've got a very similar one, with a lion (or tiger?) hilt (no dangler but there is a round hole behind the teeth); very similar carving, and with what I'm pretty sure is "1940" inlaid in brass in the blade (mind you the numerals ain't exactly standard, but I'm pretty sure that's what it says). Glad to see the sheath

The handle is on mine, as on another fairly similar, though somewhat less so, with an iron rivet (one is visibly an industrial waffle head nail) about 1 1/8" back from the blade. My lion hilt one has a wide(ish) and narrow groove, while the other is plain. Both have a tip and a humped cross-section reminiscent of nihon-to, though the blades start narrow, get wider, and one stays wide while the other tapers back down. Yes, there's a pic in my camera; yes, I will develop it soon

tom hyle · 15th March 2005, 02:54 AM

Mine are longer; blades of 19 and 20 inches. Sharpening begins after about 3", with a blunt, but wedge-section blade base. There is distal taper, but both are still fairly thick (about 1/8") at the tip; again similar to nihon-to, and to many other oceanic E Asian cutting swords.

Robert · 15th March 2005, 04:24 AM

Thanks everyone for your replies. Could any of you post pictures of your swords for comparison? Could someone also tell me how to tell the age of this type of weapon? Thanks again.

Robert

tom hyle · 15th March 2005, 11:10 AM

Does it have a rivet, like mine? This seems like a Western or Japanese influence, and though I don't know, the general presumption among collectors (a dangerous source of information if ever there was one!) is that this is a relatively modern feature. The carving is quite markedly similar to mine (and yes, pics, but by and by; think weeks), enough so that it is probably from the same period and same district/island; maybe even the same workshop.

Robert · 15th March 2005, 06:36 PM

Tom,
Yes, it does have a rivet or pin that holds the grip to the blade. If you look closely in the first picture you will see the hole about an inch and a half up from where the blade goes into the grip. Looking forward to seeing your pictures when you post them. I will post more detailed pictures as soon as my sword arrives.

Robert

14th March 2005, 07:32 PM	#1
Robert EAAF Staff Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Centerville, Kansas Posts: 2,196	Philippine? sword ID help please Just picked this up off of ebay and could use some help in identifying its age and where it was made. Total length is 20 inches. I haven't received it yet so that's all the info I have. Thanks for any help that anyone can offer. Robert Attached Images Last edited by Robert Coleman; 14th March 2005 at 08:20 PM.

14th March 2005, 11:18 PM	#2
LabanTayo Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Kansas City Posts: 177	robert, thats a Golok from Indonesia. a nice one at that. nice find.

14th March 2005, 11:30 PM	#3
Ian Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: The Aussie Bush Posts: 4,194	Probably from Java. Age is hard to judge -- maybe early to mid-20th C.

15th March 2005, 02:40 AM	#4
tom hyle Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Houston, TX, USA Posts: 1,254	Beauty. I've got a very similar one, with a lion (or tiger?) hilt (no dangler but there is a round hole behind the teeth); very similar carving, and with what I'm pretty sure is "1940" inlaid in brass in the blade (mind you the numerals ain't exactly standard, but I'm pretty sure that's what it says). Glad to see the sheath The handle is on mine, as on another fairly similar, though somewhat less so, with an iron rivet (one is visibly an industrial waffle head nail) about 1 1/8" back from the blade. My lion hilt one has a wide(ish) and narrow groove, while the other is plain. Both have a tip and a humped cross-section reminiscent of nihon-to, though the blades start narrow, get wider, and one stays wide while the other tapers back down. Yes, there's a pic in my camera; yes, I will develop it soon

15th March 2005, 02:54 AM	#5
tom hyle Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Houston, TX, USA Posts: 1,254	Mine are longer; blades of 19 and 20 inches. Sharpening begins after about 3", with a blunt, but wedge-section blade base. There is distal taper, but both are still fairly thick (about 1/8") at the tip; again similar to nihon-to, and to many other oceanic E Asian cutting swords.

15th March 2005, 04:24 AM	#6
Robert EAAF Staff Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Centerville, Kansas Posts: 2,196	Thanks everyone for your replies. Could any of you post pictures of your swords for comparison? Could someone also tell me how to tell the age of this type of weapon? Thanks again. Robert

15th March 2005, 11:10 AM	#7
tom hyle Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Houston, TX, USA Posts: 1,254	Does it have a rivet, like mine? This seems like a Western or Japanese influence, and though I don't know, the general presumption among collectors (a dangerous source of information if ever there was one!) is that this is a relatively modern feature. The carving is quite markedly similar to mine (and yes, pics, but by and by; think weeks), enough so that it is probably from the same period and same district/island; maybe even the same workshop.

15th March 2005, 06:36 PM	#8
Robert EAAF Staff Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Centerville, Kansas Posts: 2,196	Tom, Yes, it does have a rivet or pin that holds the grip to the blade. If you look closely in the first picture you will see the hole about an inch and a half up from where the blade goes into the grip. Looking forward to seeing your pictures when you post them. I will post more detailed pictures as soon as my sword arrives. Robert