What hilt/scabbard material on this gunong?

Ferguson · 8th February 2012, 02:01 PM

Just received this gunong, and the hilt and scabbard material has me puzzled. I don't think it's ivory, but it's a natural material. It seems to have layers, maybe some kind of tooth or tusk? It's very heavy. The pictures are from the auction. I'll get some better ones this weekend. The blade is sandwich construction, with a thin hard layer in the center. The hilt polished up and turned out to be brass, I think. Looking to learning more about this one!

Steve

Ferguson · 9th February 2012, 01:04 AM

More (poor) pictures.
Thanks,
Steve

David · 9th February 2012, 01:38 AM

hmmm....looks like ivory to me...

David · 9th February 2012, 01:39 AM

nice one BTW...

Ferguson · 9th February 2012, 02:13 AM

Thanks David!
I don't have any Ivory, so I wasn't sure. Supposedly brought back from WWII, and in a closet ever since. There was thick grease on the blade and in the scabbard.

Steve

David · 9th February 2012, 02:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ferguson

Thanks David!
I don't have any Ivory, so I wasn't sure. Supposedly brought back from WWII, and in a closet ever since. There was thick grease on the blade and in the scabbard.

Steve

That seems about the right timeframe Steve. Looks like a nice quality piece though, not tourist junk.

Battara · 9th February 2012, 02:42 AM

I agree (and am jealous) - looks like ivory to me too.

Great piece - you are truly "Tito Gunong"!

Ferguson · 9th February 2012, 02:47 AM

Woo hoo!

Thanks Jose!
Steve

Robert · 9th February 2012, 06:17 AM

Great piece Steve, maybe one day I will find one of these.

Congratulations on another wonderful addition to your ever growing collection!!

Robert

ThePepperSkull · 9th February 2012, 06:58 AM

Woo! That is nice. Thre red fittings-- are they Copper or suasa?

Lew · 9th February 2012, 07:10 AM

Steve

Very nice find my friend

Ferguson · 9th February 2012, 10:43 AM

Pepperskull, Some kind of copper alloy I think. The color in the pictures is a little off. They have a kind of pinkish tint in person.

Thanks Lew. It's good to hear from you buddy.

Steve

Battara · 10th February 2012, 01:29 AM

I drew up a very similar design for Zel years ago for a gunong scabbard (no ivory though).

Ferguson · 12th February 2012, 09:43 PM

Some (slightly) better pictures. I guess the scabbard trim is copper. It looks pink though. Could it be suassa?
Steve

Battara · 12th February 2012, 11:28 PM

The only way for sure to know if it is copper or swassa is to get it tested by a jeweler.

Nice pictures.

Ferguson · 12th February 2012, 11:48 PM

Thanks Jose.

Sajen · 13th February 2012, 10:07 AM

Hi Steve,

lovely gunong, really beautiful piece. Is it possible to see a picture from the throat of the handle? On some pictures you posted I think to see some black dots which will be a sign for hippo ivory.

Regards,

Detlef

Ferguson · 14th February 2012, 10:53 AM

I'll get a picture for you Sajen. There was a lot of grease on the scabbard from the blade. I'll clean it well and look for the black dots.
thanks,
Steve

David · 14th February 2012, 03:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Battara

The only way for sure to know if it is copper or swassa is to get it tested by a jeweler.

Nice pictures.

Well, usually sausa doesn't tarnish like copper...

Sajen · 14th February 2012, 04:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by David

Well, usually sausa doesn't tarnish like copper...

But it get dark like gold also.

Indianajones · 14th February 2012, 06:17 PM

Hi after reading this post I read the post 'parang betino' and noticed the similar material used in the Indonesian knife; color, darker areas etc.
(for 'our' convenience I attached a pic from that post here)

Perhaps these ivory filipino handles (in general?) were carved from Asian elephant ivory? (are/were there actually any elephants native to Indonesia??)

To be clear; elephant ivory is reckognizable by diamondshapes visible at the crosscut. Whaletusk and other tooth dont show this diamondpattern at the surface of crosscut.

Maybe the Indonesian armsexperts know more???

Lew · 15th February 2012, 10:25 AM

My guess is that it some type of marine animal tusk. Since there is no sign of that herring bone criss cross pattern in the ivory I doubt that it's elephant ivory.

Steve if you can take a few extreme close up macro pics of the hilt in sun light this may help determine what it is?

Lew

8th February 2012, 02:01 PM	#1
Ferguson Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Kernersville, NC, USA Posts: 793	What hilt/scabbard material on this gunong? Just received this gunong, and the hilt and scabbard material has me puzzled. I don't think it's ivory, but it's a natural material. It seems to have layers, maybe some kind of tooth or tusk? It's very heavy. The pictures are from the auction. I'll get some better ones this weekend. The blade is sandwich construction, with a thin hard layer in the center. The hilt polished up and turned out to be brass, I think. Looking to learning more about this one! Steve Attached Images

9th February 2012, 01:04 AM	#2
Ferguson Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Kernersville, NC, USA Posts: 793	More (poor) pictures. Thanks, Steve Attached Images

12th February 2012, 09:43 PM	#14
Ferguson Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Kernersville, NC, USA Posts: 793	Some (slightly) better pictures. I guess the scabbard trim is copper. It looks pink though. Could it be suassa? Steve Attached Images

14th February 2012, 06:17 PM	#21
Indianajones Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Posts: 180	Hi after reading this post I read the post 'parang betino' and noticed the similar material used in the Indonesian knife; color, darker areas etc. (for 'our' convenience I attached a pic from that post here) Perhaps these ivory filipino handles (in general?) were carved from Asian elephant ivory? (are/were there actually any elephants native to Indonesia??) To be clear; elephant ivory is reckognizable by diamondshapes visible at the crosscut. Whaletusk and other tooth dont show this diamondpattern at the surface of crosscut. Maybe the Indonesian armsexperts know more??? Attached Images

9th February 2012, 01:38 AM	#3
David Keris forum moderator Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Nova Scotia Posts: 7,126	hmmm....looks like ivory to me...

9th February 2012, 01:39 AM	#4
David Keris forum moderator Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Nova Scotia Posts: 7,126	nice one BTW...

9th February 2012, 02:13 AM	#5
Ferguson Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Kernersville, NC, USA Posts: 793	Thanks David! I don't have any Ivory, so I wasn't sure. Supposedly brought back from WWII, and in a closet ever since. There was thick grease on the blade and in the scabbard. Steve

9th February 2012, 02:42 AM	#7
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,226	I agree (and am jealous) - looks like ivory to me too. Great piece - you are truly "Tito Gunong"!

9th February 2012, 02:47 AM	#8
Ferguson Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Kernersville, NC, USA Posts: 793	Woo hoo! Thanks Jose! Steve

9th February 2012, 06:17 AM	#9
Robert EAAF Staff Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Centerville, Kansas Posts: 2,196	Great piece Steve, maybe one day I will find one of these. Congratulations on another wonderful addition to your ever growing collection!! Robert

9th February 2012, 06:58 AM	#10
ThePepperSkull Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 338	Woo! That is nice. Thre red fittings-- are they Copper or suasa?

9th February 2012, 07:10 AM	#11
Lew (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: East Coast USA Posts: 3,191	Steve Very nice find my friend

9th February 2012, 10:43 AM	#12
Ferguson Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Kernersville, NC, USA Posts: 793	Pepperskull, Some kind of copper alloy I think. The color in the pictures is a little off. They have a kind of pinkish tint in person. Thanks Lew. It's good to hear from you buddy. Steve

10th February 2012, 01:29 AM	#13
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,226	I drew up a very similar design for Zel years ago for a gunong scabbard (no ivory though).

12th February 2012, 11:28 PM	#15
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,226	The only way for sure to know if it is copper or swassa is to get it tested by a jeweler. Nice pictures.

12th February 2012, 11:48 PM	#16
Ferguson Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Kernersville, NC, USA Posts: 793	Thanks Jose.

13th February 2012, 10:07 AM	#17
Sajen Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Germany, Dortmund Posts: 8,786	Hi Steve, lovely gunong, really beautiful piece. Is it possible to see a picture from the throat of the handle? On some pictures you posted I think to see some black dots which will be a sign for hippo ivory. Regards, Detlef

14th February 2012, 10:53 AM	#18
Ferguson Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Kernersville, NC, USA Posts: 793	I'll get a picture for you Sajen. There was a lot of grease on the scabbard from the blade. I'll clean it well and look for the black dots. thanks, Steve

15th February 2012, 10:25 AM	#22
Lew (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: East Coast USA Posts: 3,191	My guess is that it some type of marine animal tusk. Since there is no sign of that herring bone criss cross pattern in the ivory I doubt that it's elephant ivory. Steve if you can take a few extreme close up macro pics of the hilt in sun light this may help determine what it is? Lew