A Unique, Quality Sadop from Borneo

CharlesS · 16th July 2008, 02:04 PM

I have happened upon this very interesting example of a sadop, a famous Dayak knife/dagger from Borneo.

This one seems made for a person of status and it has several unique features:

1. The hilt is from hippo ivory...meaning it was brought to Borneo via trade, as hippos are a sub-Saharan African species.

2. The blade appears to be from a quality Chinese jian. There is no secret of the trade between China and the Indonesian archipelago.

3. Note the unusual slight slant to the base of the hilt and a matching scabbard mouth to accomodate it. I can think of no particular reason for this, but it does allow the hilt to accommodate the hand better when the longer edge of the hilt is held up(top) and the shorter edge(bottom) of an in hand grip.

Being a lover of "cross cultural" blades, especially from al-Islam and SE Asia, this was an exciting find for me.

Lew · 16th July 2008, 04:16 PM

Charles

Nice one very elegant love the hilt.

Lew

VVV · 16th July 2008, 06:02 PM

I am not 100% that this is an "orthodox" Sadop but it's a fantastic multi-cultural dagger!!!
Maybe it's Sino-Malay instead of Dayak?

Michael

CharlesS · 16th July 2008, 06:20 PM

Very possible, VVV. I agree it is not an "orthodox" example.

Does the scabbard work strike you as more Malay??

Any ideas about the "tilted" hilt base??

asomotif · 16th July 2008, 09:00 PM

Nice dagger, but I am amazed that Ben did not react yet.

I can hardly call this piece dayak.

Well (very well) made but difficult to put an age on this one.

CharlesS · 16th July 2008, 09:53 PM

ASOMotif and VVV,

What specifically takes away from its identity as "Dayak"?....the scabbard designs?? ivory hilt???...etc.

The hilt form seems identical to one in Z's minus the girth. BUT... a similar form is also seen with a beladau (Sumatra, Mentawai, Riau). The silverwork does not strike me as Sumatran.

VVV · 17th July 2008, 12:12 AM

Charles,

I am on a remote island at the moment and away from van Z and other books.
A silver scabbard, like yours, is not anything I would expect to see on a dayak dagger.
I would classify it as a high class Malay Lading Terus, instead of a Sadop.
On the tilted hilt I have no clue.

Michael

CharlesS · 17th July 2008, 02:57 AM

Thanks VVV,

When you get back home could you post some other examples of similar type?

Dajak · 17th July 2008, 05:20 AM

Hi Charles this looks more like an malay/chinese knife than an sadap the silverwork never seen on an sadap .

The Hilt looks like the same as an parang that Michael has .

Ben

VVV · 17th July 2008, 11:05 AM

Ben, do you mean the jenawi

Charles, I found this extract, with pictures of lading terus as a reference, from Gardner's book on my computer.
My lading terus is not that typical with the hilt as yours.

Michael

CharlesS · 17th July 2008, 02:24 PM

Most helpful Michael. Thanks.

I don't remember these pics being in the research from last summer...was it??

Dajak · 17th July 2008, 06:11 PM

Yes the jenawi that is the one .

And don't forget the dohun was brought to Borneo by the javanese .

Ben

Bill M · 17th July 2008, 11:34 PM

Can't quite read the text, but the piece pictured by Michael looks like a Javanese tombok set like a dagger.

16th July 2008, 02:04 PM	#1
CharlesS Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Greenville, NC Posts: 1,857	A Unique, Quality Sadop(???) from Borneo I have happened upon this very interesting example of a *sadop, a famous Dayak knife/dagger from Borneo. This one seems made for a person of status and it has several unique features: 1. The hilt is from hippo ivory...meaning it was brought to Borneo via trade, as hippos are a sub-Saharan African species. 2. The blade appears to be from a quality Chinese jian. There is no secret of the trade between China and the Indonesian archipelago. 3. Note the unusual slight slant to the base of the hilt and a matching scabbard mouth to accomodate it. I can think of no particular reason for this, but it does allow the hilt to accommodate the hand better when the longer edge of the hilt is held up(top) and the shorter edge(bottom) of an in hand grip. Being a lover of "cross cultural" blades, especially from al-Islam and SE Asia, this was an exciting find for me. Attached Images Last edited by CharlesS; 16th July 2008 at 09:55 PM.*

16th July 2008, 09:00 PM	#5
asomotif Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 2,225	Where is Ben ? Nice dagger, but I am amazed that Ben did not react yet. I can hardly call this piece dayak. Well (very well) made but difficult to put an age on this one.

17th July 2008, 11:05 AM	#10
VVV Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Sweden Posts: 1,637	Ben, do you mean the jenawi Charles, I found this extract, with pictures of lading terus as a reference, from Gardner's book on my computer. My lading terus is not that typical with the hilt as yours. Michael Attached Images

16th July 2008, 04:16 PM	#2
Lew (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: East Coast USA Posts: 3,191	Charles Nice one very elegant love the hilt. Lew

16th July 2008, 06:02 PM	#3
VVV Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Sweden Posts: 1,637	I am not 100% that this is an "orthodox" Sadop but it's a fantastic multi-cultural dagger!!! Maybe it's Sino-Malay instead of Dayak? Michael

16th July 2008, 06:20 PM	#4
CharlesS Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Greenville, NC Posts: 1,857	Very possible, VVV. I agree it is not an "orthodox" example. Does the scabbard work strike you as more Malay?? Any ideas about the "tilted" hilt base??

16th July 2008, 09:53 PM	#6
CharlesS Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Greenville, NC Posts: 1,857	ASOMotif and VVV, What specifically takes away from its identity as "Dayak"?....the scabbard designs?? ivory hilt???...etc. The hilt form seems identical to one in Z's *minus* the girth. BUT... a similar form is also seen with a *beladau* (Sumatra, Mentawai, Riau). The silverwork does not strike me as Sumatran.

17th July 2008, 12:12 AM	#7
VVV Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Sweden Posts: 1,637	Charles, I am on a remote island at the moment and away from van Z and other books. A silver scabbard, like yours, is not anything I would expect to see on a dayak dagger. I would classify it as a high class Malay Lading Terus, instead of a Sadop. On the tilted hilt I have no clue. Michael

17th July 2008, 02:57 AM	#8
CharlesS Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Greenville, NC Posts: 1,857	Thanks VVV, When you get back home could you post some other examples of similar type?

17th July 2008, 05:20 AM	#9
Dajak Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 951	Hi Charles this looks more like an malay/chinese knife than an sadap the silverwork never seen on an sadap . The Hilt looks like the same as an parang that Michael has . Ben

17th July 2008, 02:24 PM	#11
CharlesS Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Greenville, NC Posts: 1,857	Most helpful Michael. Thanks. I don't remember these pics being in the research from last summer...was it??

17th July 2008, 06:11 PM	#12
Dajak Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 951	Yes the jenawi that is the one . And don't forget the dohun was brought to Borneo by the javanese . Ben

17th July 2008, 11:34 PM	#13
Bill M Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: USA Georgia Posts: 1,599	Can't quite read the text, but the piece pictured by Michael looks like a Javanese tombok set like a dagger.