Imported Middle Eastern Sword ( Kampilan)

[kino]

Did a forumite place the winning bid on the “Imported Middle Eastern Sword”, that was auctioned off last night? Please post photos of the hilt and scabbard with dimensions, when you get a chance.

[drac2k]

It looks like they cut down the handle and reinserted the blade; probably to make it fit into some soldier's duffle bag.

[Gavin Nugent]

Originally Posted by drac2k

It looks like they cut down the handle and reinserted the blade; probably to make it fit into some soldier's duffle bag.

Potentially... could be parallax error? Wouldn't you, if you went to the trouble of taking the hilt off, leave it of to fit in a bag or regulation sized crate.

With consideration to some I have seen, the grip section seems quite small on the type, and this one may simply be a case of the timber guard broken and pushed back over the grip.

Nice looker, mostly complete, awesome to see a most unusual scabbard type too... seems to have some age.

[drac2k]

Everything that you stated is valid and probably the case, however I have seen an extensive amount on cringe worthy "barrack cuts," including Jezail Rifles and Arisaka Rifles with the barrels cut in half just under the barrel bands when one would think that it would be easier to disassemble the gun. And then there is Bannerman.

[kino]

I hope the break wasn’t intentional so to comply with length regulations.

The crossguard is patially pushed onto the grip, which makes the grip seem short. The photo of the whole sword is a parallax view.

I think guard, grip and pommel are of Carabao horn. Uncommon in my opinion.

[Rick]

So many Kamps that I see for sale or auction have the holes in the crossguard but the metal staple is missing.
I wonder if they were removed on purpose because on my two examples that have the metal guard it is firmly attached.

[Gavin Nugent]

It is a quandary Rick.

Whilst not being present in the day and knowing the exact historical context, it is hard to say if they were either made with the holes by the carver for the option of the staple/s, or the staple/s were removed.

I can't see them just falling out given that the bar had a slight to acute bend on the other side, and once fitted, why would one remove this feature?
Are the holes just there potentially as an option only?
Surely it is not that the majority of those taken, everyone thought they'd just discard them.

Attached is another guardless one like those you note, form an Iranun gently curved cutlass sized Kampilan, it's guard made for double staples.
Knowing the provenance, were those used in active piracy vs status pieces, without the staples for stealth reasons in night raids? I've pondered this in so far as not having protrusions that could knock against the hull or be caught against something in the dark, effectively giving up the element of surprise.

I've another on the work bench with only holes for a single staple only... they look so very clean and pristine within that I wonder if it ever had a staple fitted, there is nil evidence of anything pressing ever against the inner surface.

[Gavin Nugent]

Originally Posted by kino

I think guard, grip and pommel are of Carabao horn. Uncommon in my opinion.

I see potential for this in the delamination of the guard... what are the tell tale signs of the rest of it being horn? Hard to tell from the photos... did you happen to get other photos?

[kino]

Originally Posted by Gavin Nugent

I see potential for this in the delamination of the guard... what are the tell tale signs of the rest of it being horn? Hard to tell from the photos... did you happen to get other photos?

There were no other photos.
Just a gut feeling coupled with the silver pin in the photo that could be reinforcing the 2 slabs together.

Now that I’ve given it some thought the pin could have held a coin or some other embellishment.