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#1 |
Member
Join Date: Feb 2020
Location: Vlissingen, Netherlands
Posts: 71
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Dear members, a while ago I acquired an unusual sword which was attributed to the Philippines, but it had me puzzled until today. The general outlines are often seen on the West Javanese 'Gobang Bandung' from the Preanger region, yet the aesthetic details like the silver decoration on the scabbard and typical silver sheets on the hilt points me to the Luzon area.
I wonder what your opinions are on this matter. Thanks in advance! |
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#2 |
Vikingsword Staff
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: The Aussie Bush
Posts: 4,136
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Hello Peter,
I think the style is much more likely Javanese than Filipino. The blade appears to have a pattern that could benefit from etching. Very nice engraving on the scabbard. |
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#3 |
Keris forum moderator
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Nova Scotia
Posts: 7,082
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I agree with Ian. The motifs on this sheath look Javanese to me, not Luzon or any other culture from the Philippines and the form of this clearly looks like a West Javanese Gobang Bandung to me.
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#4 |
Member
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Greenville, NC
Posts: 1,855
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I agree with both of the above. I would call it a Javanese gobang Bandung, from top to bottom, and a VERY nice one. Did you etch the blade, Peter?
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#5 |
Member
Join Date: Feb 2020
Location: Vlissingen, Netherlands
Posts: 71
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Thank you for your comments gentlemen, I was leaning towards Gobang Bandung, but this piece is not really a textbook example.
I did a light etch on the blade to reveal the pamoresque pattern. |
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#6 |
Member
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Greenville, NC
Posts: 1,855
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Peter, I can certainly see why this one would give you pause to rethink it, but I believe we can look at it safely as a gobang variant.
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#7 |
Member
Join Date: Apr 2005
Posts: 3,249
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I agree that this sword is from western Java; not a traditional highland design though. For example, the chains and the belt hook are a colonial affectation and the silverwork seems to be from the coast.
Regards, Kai |
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#8 |
EAAF Staff
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Louisville, KY
Posts: 7,186
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Yes definitely NOT Filipino. However it is very nice!
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#9 |
Member
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Paris (France)
Posts: 408
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Whaaaa!
![]() Very nice west javanese Gobang !! |
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#10 |
Member
Join Date: Feb 2020
Location: Vlissingen, Netherlands
Posts: 71
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Thank you all for your input!
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#11 |
Member
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Germany, Dortmund
Posts: 8,711
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Beautiful gobang!
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#12 |
Member
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 6,803
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I do not know what a "gobang Bandung is".
I know what a gobang is, its a Javanese general purpose knife with big blade. Interestingly, in Bahasa Indonesia a "gobang" is a coin with a hole in the middle --- 19th century I think. I know what a golok is, and this blade looks like a golok to me. Hilts such as the one on this implement are not unusual on Colonial era weapons in Central Jawa. The scabbard looks very much like Kota Gede or Ngayogyakarta work, the motif is very common in Central Jawa. I would welcome being educated on exactly what a "gobang Bandung" is, and the reference. As I said, I have never heard this term in Jawa --- or outside Jawa either, but it appears to be used fairly freely in this Forum. One additional thing, I doubt that the blade will display pamor, I think we're looking at sanak, but with a relatively high inclusion of steel rather than iron. EDIT I think I might have answered my own question. The word "gobang" occurs in a number of Malayo-Polynesian languages. In Javanese it is a general purpose knife with a large blade, in Sundanese it is a type of sabre. The word appears to be generic, much as "pedang" is generic. Rigg gives "golok" as the direct Malay equivalent of the Sundanese "gobang". It appears that the addition of "Bandung" was probably a reference to the area where some early gobangs in European collections were acquired. https://docplayer.net/123814397-Rese...ger-sword.html so "Gobang Bandung" would seem to be a description, rather than a name. Last edited by A. G. Maisey; 26th January 2022 at 11:53 AM. |
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#13 |
Member
Join Date: Feb 2020
Location: Vlissingen, Netherlands
Posts: 71
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Thank you, I was going to send you the same link.
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#14 |
Member
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 6,803
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Perhaps my problem with this term "gobang bandung" was that the word "bandung" actually means "two things together" & also "a pair", & apparently can be understood as "a friend" or "a brother". In Javanese we have "bandhung", same word but a slightly different pronunciation, and that means the same as "bareng" = "together".
Those meanings cover B.I., Sundanese & Javanese, but the word occurs in other Malayo-Polynesian languages also. So, if I'm looking at a single sharp pointy thing and it is being called by everybody, including old records and museums, by a name that seems to imply "two", where is the other one? Then of course there is the city. It would be nice to know what the people who used these gobangs actually called them back when they were popular. |
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#15 |
Member
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: The Netherlands
Posts: 1,324
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A very nice one Peter.
Looks Javanese to me! - Maurice - |
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#16 | |
Member
Join Date: Apr 2005
Posts: 3,249
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Hello Alan,
Quote:
There are other types of blades/swords also referred to as gobang (as evidenced from old museum notes). Thus, this name is not really specific, at least not all over Sunda. Most likely it just is/was a generic moniker for sword-like thingie as in golok, pedang, etc. Regards, Kai |
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