Lew Waldman's Ethnographic Arms & Armour Collection Archive


300 - Philippine Dog's Head Clip Point Bolo Knife and Caribou Horn Sheath

This bolo features a robust single-edged clip point blade that is just over 15½ inches (40 cm) in length with a spine thickness of 0.19 inch (0.48 cm). A cast brass combined bolster and guard features a finger ring and what appears to be a bird's head opposite. An octagonal brass ferrule is adjacent to the guard and the octagonal cross-section persists up the caribou (water buffalo) horn hilt with variations in horn color separated by brass washers. Atop this is a dog's head carved in horn with one brass flap ear (the other ear missing, there being a tell tale mounting hole); the hilt being secured in place by a nut on a threaded tang. The scabbard is also made of caribou horn with a integral horn belt hook on the display face. The two halves of the scabbard are secured together with copper rivets. The tip of the blade extends exposed about ½ inch (1.2 cm) beyond the inside scabbard half but lies against the front half that extends about 0.3 inch (0.7 cm) beyond the blade tip. This back half likely has some losses, but rivets beyond its end are flush with the front half indicating that some of this exposure was intentional, probably to allow drainage. There are a number of cracks and losses to the horn of the scabbard along the sides and near the bird's head. Overall length in the sheath is just under 17 inches (43.5 cm); the knife weighs about 25¼ ounces (706 grams) while the weight with sheath is 35¼ ounces (988 grams).


Philippine Dog's Head Clip Point Bolo Knife and Caribou Horn Sheath

Philippine Dog's Head Clip Point Bolo Knife

Philippine Dog's Head Clip Point Bolo Knife and Caribou Horn Sheath

Philippine Dog's Head Clip Point Bolo Knife

Philippine Dog's Head Clip Point Bolo Knife and Caribou Horn Sheath



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