Something New

[Robert]

Hello,
I just picked this up off of ebay. A Visayan piece but with this blade style I'm not sure whether to call it a tenegre or not? Below are the auction pictures. It does look to have small metal plates attached to the hilt that could be silver. I will know more after it arrives. All comments are welcome.

Robert

[Battara]

According to recent research on Iloilo (Nacho and Migueldiaz) this would be called a tenegre and called this and used by the lowlanders of Iloilo.

Also I looks like silver and brass are combined, but you can tell better after you clean them. What is nice is that it looks like silver is used for on the eyes and perhaps other parts of the head. Will look great after it is all cleaned up.

[Robert]

Thank you Jose for the information and for confirming that this is a tenegre. Like I stated earlier I have never seen one with a blade in this style. I am really looking forward for this to arrive so I can find out how many silver and brass plates that there are on the hilt. The second picture down on the left seems to indicate that there could be quite a few. I am also very interested in the throat piece on the scabbard and if this sword has a guard or not.


Robert

[migueldiaz]

Hello. Yes, it's a tenegre (pronounced, tee-NEE-greh).

Nacho is the expert on this. Earlier, he told us that --

"The Iloilo Museum has identified 5 hilt variants of the Panay sword: 1) the classic short nose tenegre (found all over lowland Panay); 2) the long-nosed sanduko of the Panay Bukidnons/Mundo; 3) the Open Mouth/crocodile Mouth pommel (made until now in Antique, particularly the town of Adiong), which some people say is Negros (it is not); 4) the human monster face with large eyes and menacing teeth ,sometimes made of bone (made in the vicinity of Cabatuan, Iloilo; and : 5) the plain rounded/pistol grip found in binangons from Iloilo Province (older ones made of carabao horn). [item] 1) has a sub-variant that looks like it has two horns in addition to the short nose."

As to what they look like, I've blogged about them here(1), here(2), here(3), here(4), and here(5).

The variant of (1), the three-horned fellow, is here.

[Sajen]

Hello Robert,

let me add that it is a beautiful sword and I hope that you will post better pictures when you received it.

Regards,

Detlef

[Robert]

Migueldiaz, Thank you for your interest and for the links that you posted. I am a very frequent viewer of your web site and had already seen all of the information that you referred to in the links. I was just concerned because of the blade shape that this sword might be a variant and have a different name. Again my thanks for your help.


Detlef, Thank you for your kind words and I will be more than happy to post more pictures of this sword as soon as it arrives and I have a little time to clean it up a bit.

Again, my thanks to everyone who has commented on this and for all their help.

P.S.
Nacho, If you have the time I would really like to have your thoughts on this piece.

Robert

[Robert]

Well the tenegre has arrived with a few nice surprises.
All of the decorative fittings on the hilt are silver except for the guard and
it seems to be a brass alloy of some kind. There are quite a
few of the silver decorations on the hilt missing but for everyone that is missing
the corresponding one is still intact. The decorations on the scabbard
are mostly brass with a few being made of silver and I believe the missing
band at the throat of the scabbard would have been made of silver. The wood
of the scabbard has shrunk so much over the years that
the guard will not fit into place anymore and the brass bands are very loose
and are just put into place for the pictures. It looks like I will be
busy for quite some time making the missing pieces of silver
decorations for the hilt and scabbard but it will be time well spent.
Sorry about the poor picture quality.

Robert

[Lew]

Sweeeet... Congrats

[migueldiaz]

She is beautiful! Congrats, Robert.

I love looking at these well-adorned pieces. You can tell that the original owner was an important person, or perhaps simply dapper, if not flamboyant

[migueldiaz]

This sword (below) from the same island of Panay (or perhaps Negros?), has a somewhat similar guard design.

[Battara]

Very nice Robert and nice clean up.

Migueldiaz - nice piece also - not seen it before.

[Sajen]

Wow, beautiful sword! (I am a little bit green with envy)
It is worth to spend time to replace the missing silver decorations.

Regards,

Detlef

[Atlantia]

Its beautiful Robert!
I look forward to seeing it when you have worked even more magic on it.

Gene

[Robert]

Hello everyone and I would like thank you all very much for your kind words on this the newest addition to my collection. I really do think I lucked out when I found this one.
Migueldiaz, that is a great tenegre you posted and the guard does look similar to the one on mine. Please if you would, post more pictures as I too would love to see them. Does it have its scabbard?
Just as soon as I get the repair work done on this I will be posting more (and I hope better) pictures of it. There are 20 pieces of silver decoration that are missing from the hilt alone and making and attaching the replacements will surely keep me busy for quite some time!!
One question I have is, does anyone have any suggestions on the best way to clean the raw hide at the throat of the scabbard? On normal leather I usually use saddle soap and then follow that up with mink oil but I'm just not sure what would be the best way to clean this type of leather. Again, my thanks to you all for your comments.

[kino]

Good job on cleaning up the piece. What a beautiful blade profile.
Did you wax the scabbard? I love the color of the kamagong, Congrats.

[Ferguson]

Beautiful piece and nice job so far! A very worthy project.
Steve

[Robert]

Hello Kino, yes I used Ren wax on the wood of the scabbard after a good cleaning with Murphy's oil soap. The wood actually looks even better in person than it does in the pictures and is extremely hard and heavy for its size. One would think that after all the pictures that I have taken over the years that I could do a better job of it than what I do.
The blade profile was one of the first things that caught my attention when I first found this. I have a bolo with a D-guard that has a blade profile almost identical (only larger) to the one on this tenegre.

Steve, thank you so much for your encouragement. I just hope that I am up to its successful completion.

Again, I would like to thank you both for your kind comments.

Robert

[migueldiaz]

battara, thanks.

robert, here are two pics from erik farrow once again. the metal hoops on the scabbard are aluminum. thanks.

[Robert]

Migueldiaz, Great sword, thank you for posting the pictures for comparison. Do you think that there could possibly have been a wooden throat piece on the scabbard right above the leather piece (similar to the one on my example) that is now missing ? Is this tenegre yours now or is it still in Eric's collection?

Robert

[Robert]

Kino, Here is a picture of the D-guard bolo I mentioned earlier with the tenegre to show the similarity in blade profile. The blade on the bolo is quite a bit heavier but it has the same false edge that the tenegre has but unlike the tenegre it is not chisel ground. Unfortunately the tip on the bolo's blade had suffered some damage at some point in time and was slightly re profiled when repaired. I am also hoping to get a little more background on the bolo so any comments or information on it would be greatly appreciated.

Robert

[migueldiaz]

Originally Posted by Robert Coleman

Migueldiaz, Great sword, thank you for posting the pictures for comparison. Do you think that there could possibly have been a wooden throat piece on the scabbard right above the leather piece (similar to the one on my example) that is now missing ? Is this tenegre yours now or is it still in Eric's collection?

hi, robert. the sword is now with me. i'll take a look later on whether a 'throat' piece used to be there. regards.

[Robert]

hi, robert. the sword is now with me. i'll take a look later on whether a 'throat' piece used to be there. regards.

Migueldiaz, That's great, a very nice addition to your collection. I'm not sure if 'throat piece' is the correct terminology/name for this section of the scabbard, or if it even has one, but if you by chance know what the correct name for this section is could you please post it? The only other scabbard that I have seen so far that is even similar is located here http://www.filhistory.com/2010/07/su...tenegre-1.html on one of your web pages. Would you also tell me what your thoughts are on the above bolo? Here is a link to the original thread on it. http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...hlight=funston Thank you for your help.

Robert

[migueldiaz]

Originally Posted by Robert Coleman

Migueldiaz, That's great, a very nice addition to your collection. I'm not sure if 'throat piece' is the correct terminology/name for this section of the scabbard, or if it even has one, but if you by chance know what the correct name for this section is could you please post it? The only other scabbard that I have seen so far that is even similar is located here http://www.filhistory.com/2010/07/su...tenegre-1.html on one of your web pages. Would you also tell me what your thoughts are on the above bolo? Here is a link to the original thread on it. http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...hlight=funston Thank you for your help.

thanks, robert.

i don't know the local name of the leather 'throat' or collar. but in the online hiligaynon 1934 dictionary (hiligaynon is one of the dialects in panay island, from where the swords are), we find this entry:

panílo, (Sp. pañuelo) Cloth, cloth-band, collar, neckcloth; the strip of cloth or leather used for fastening the sheath of a bolo to the hip. (cf. balióg; pányo)

thus, panilo (pronounced pah-NEH-lo) can refer to anything that wraps around something. for now perhaps, we can use panilo to refer to that leather 'throat' or collar. nacho or reichsritter can confirm (and for sure later, we'll have the opportunity again to double-check with local smiths).

talking about that online dictionary, here are the other terms:

binángon, The Philippine long knife carried in a scabbard on the hip by workmen. The scabbard or case is called "tagúb" (cf. bólo, pinútì, siántong, sandúkò, ginúnting, talibóng, kális, súndang, uták).

dága, (Sp. daga) Dagger, poniard, stiletto. (cf. íwà, súndang, pinútì).

espáda, (Sp. espada) Sword, sabre, falchion, scimitar, brand, rapier, side-arm. (cf. binángon, talibúng, sandúkò, ginúnting, kális).

garanás, Knife, especially one used for cutting meshes, repairing nets, etc. (cf. urutúp, galanás, súndang, kotsílyo, lansítas).

ginúnting, A kind of war-knife, large bolo. (cf. siántong, sandúkò, binángon, íwà).

íwà, Dagger; poniard, dirk, knife. (cf. dága, binángon, talibóng, sandúkò, ginúnting, kotsílyo, súndang, garanás, urutúp, lansétas).

kális, (Sp. cris) The Malayan dagger, creese or cris, a sword as used by the Moros.

kampílan, A large, long kind of sword; hanger, cutlass.

kotsílyo, (Sp. cochillo) Knife, table-knife. (cf. súndang).

lansétas, (Sp. lanceta) Lancet, fleam, a farrier's sharp knife used in phlebotomy; a pocket-knife.

pinútì, Knife, bolo, any cutting tool made of steel. (cf. putî).

sáble, (Sp. sable) Sabre, sword. (cf. súndang, binángon, talibóng, etc.).

sandúkò, A kind of long bolo with a curved point. (cf. ginúnting).

siántong, A kind of bolo, but straight and longer than the ordinary binángon and having the point slightly curved. (cf. sandúkò).

súndang, Knife, kitchen-knife, a small stiff knife, dagger, sword, table-knife. (cf. tulóslok—fork; irós—spoon; garanás, urutóp, lansítas, kotsílyo, binángon, íwa, etc.).

tagúb, Sheath, scabbard, case; to sheathe, put into a scabbard, provide or make a scabbard. Itagúb ang ímo espáda. Sheathe your sword. Tágbi (Tagubí) ang ímo binángon. Provide a scabbard for your bolo.

talibóng, A large, heavy bolo. (cf. sandúkò, siántong, binángon).

urutúp, (B) A knife, anything with a sharp edge for cutting, as a piece of sharp stone, bone, tin, wood, bamboo, etc. (cf. súndang, garanás; ótop).

uták, Knife, bolo. See binángon.

the downloadable version of the dictionary is here. it's better to have the download version, as one can search there using english terms.

more field research needs to be done to match the blade shapes, vis-a-vis the terms above. it will also be noted that tenegre (tinigre) is not an entry in the dictionary. but for a fact, the term is being used in panay. again more research is needed on the origin of that word.

another noteworthy local linguistic variation is the definition of sundang in panay. elsewhere (northern philippines [luzon] and south. phils. [mindanao]), a sundang is a large blade. a kris in mindanao for instance is also called a sundang. but in panay, a sundang is a mere kitchen knife!

[migueldiaz]

robert, here's a pic of the scabbard with the leather panilo lowered down. perhaps there used to be something that's attached on that upper part of the scabbard because a pinhole can be seen (and said hole is also on the other side). the panilo seemed to have been altered also.

on mode of construction of the scabbard here, it makes use of dowels, where the 'crown' of the scabbard slides into (see pics below).

finally, on the sword with the d-guard, i don't have anything to add that you already know (i.e., it's a luzon sword, given the peened tang and the non-chisel ground profile of the blade).

incidentally, i might be in the u.s. sometime august 2011. can i go to your place to see your collection?

[Robert]

Migueldiaz, Thank you so much for the dictionary and the detailed pictures of how the "crown" is mounted. As far as you coming by to view my collection and visit I would be more than honored. Just let me know a couple of weeks in advance as my wife does not like surprises. Again my thanks.

Robert

[migueldiaz]

Originally Posted by Robert Coleman

Migueldiaz, Thank you so much for the dictionary and the detailed pictures of how the "crown" is mounted. As far as you coming by to view my collection and visit I would be more than honored. Just let me know a couple of weeks in advance as my wife does not like surprises. Again my thanks.

Robert

hello, robert. many thanks! the pleasure is mine actually

will give you the heads-up. we definitely do not want to surprise anybody especially if within her easy reach is an arsenal of sharp pointy things

p.s. - by the way, as kino mentioned, kamagong is the wood used for the scabbard of your sword. kamagong is arguably the rolls royce of our local hardwood.

[Nonoy Tan]

Excellent information by migueldiaz!

[Battara]

Oh Kamagong is so very hard - it is also called Makassar Ebony. Tough stuff and harder than narra or paduk wood, and dulls your tools!

Beautiful wood though, especially the subtle grains in some pieces. Makes great contrast to ivory or bone inlays.

[Robert]

Hello Migueldiaz, You would never need to worry about my wife ever thinking about using a sharp pointy object on any guest. It would be my hide that would be it danger if I wasn't to give her advanced warning of their arrival. We are both looking forward to your visit.

Robert

[migueldiaz]

Originally Posted by Robert Coleman

Hello Migueldiaz, You would never need to worry about my wife ever thinking about using a sharp pointy object on any guest. It would be my hide that would be it danger if I wasn't to give her advanced warning of their arrival. We are both looking forward to your visit.

Robert

Thanks, Robert! ... I feel better already Am looking forward to meeting your wife (am traveling with my wife by the way - we will be attending a wedding). On second thoughts, do you think it's a good idea to let our wives meet?

For the others' academic interest, here are some more blade-related terms from that 1934 dictionary:

baláraw, Dagger, poniard, stiletto, knife. (cf. dága, punyál).

punyál, (Sp. puñal) Dagger, poniard, stiletto. (cf. íwà, dága, súndang, etc.).

bángkaw, A lance, spear. Ang kílid sang Aton Ginóo hinandusán sang bángkaw ni Longíno. The side of Our Lord was pierced by the lance of Longinus.

dáldag, An adze; to use or apply an adze. Daldagí ang káhoy. Use an adze to trim the wood. (cf. wásay—hatchet).

lánsa, (Sp. lanza) Lance. (cf. bángkaw).

bidyíw, A spear, harpoon. (cf. bángkaw—lance).

sibát, A spear, a kind of barbed lance. Palayógi siá sang sibát. Throw the spear at him. Sibatá ang talunón. Throw a spear at the wild boar. Spear the wild boar.

sumbilíng, (H) Any missile in the nature of a javelin, spear, lance or the like.

túmbak, A harpoon, barbed spear or javelin, prong, fork. (cf.bángkaw—lance).

kinabasî, kinabásì, Like—, in the form of—, a kabásì-fish; sharppointed. Bángkaw nga kinabasî. A lance with a straight, sharp point. (cf.kabásì, pinángdan).

pinángdan, Like a—, in the form of a—, screw-pine; twisted like a screw-pine. Bángkaw nga pinángdan. A lance with a long drawn and twisted point.

kinúgon, Made as pointed or as sharp as cogon-grass; the point of a spear, lance, arrow, etc. (cf. kógon).

lántip, The double-edged point of a lance, spear, or the like.

orongán, The (wooden) shaft of a lance, spear, etc. (cf. unungán, ulungán).

parakól, An axe, hatchet, chopper. (cf. wásay).

kalólot, To apply any sticky, viscous material. Ginakalólot sa ápal sang binángon ang tagók sang kamánsi. The juice of the bread-fruit is used for fastening the handle of a bolo.

kalásag, Shield, cover, protection, defense; escutcheon.

tamíng, Shield, buckler. (cf. kalásag; panamíng—to use a shield).

súdsud, A scraper; to scrape off, rub off, erase. (cf. hódhod).

Incidentally, in the olden times (and perhaps even up to now) one of the fiercest adversaries of the Moros are the Panaynons. If the latter have specific names for various spearheads (e.g., kinúgon, pinángdan, kinabasî) chances are the former have their own terms, too.

I hope someday, someone will write about 'Moro Spears & Other Weapons'