Ethnographic Arms & Armour

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-   -   Go on... show us your Barung!!! (http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=14937)

xasterix 5th January 2021 05:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jerseyman
I only have a couple of these - a simple hilt with a nice twist-core blade which I picked up from Gavin years ago (currently in storage and no photos to hand), and this one picked up very recently. I've only had a chance to give it a quick wipe down so far.

It's had a bit of a hard life, but I thought it was worth posting as it has a poor man's version of the wire wrap on Pepperskull's barong - exactly the same I think except it's in cord which has frayed quite a bit.

A small area of corrosion on an otherwise nice hollow-ground blade, and an old collector's number on the hilt.


Measurements

Length 56cm
Hilt 15.5cm
Ferrule 17 x 3 x 2.4cm
Pommel 16.5 x 3.8cm
Finials 1 x 0.8cm
Blade length 40.5cm
Blade width 3 > 6.5cm
Spine 0.8 > 0.1cm


A really nice piece! This one has a lot of character. I like how the original owner wrapped the whole hilt...I've wielded a very similar-looking sample, but its blade wasn't shandigan.

drac2k 6th January 2021 03:06 PM

5 Attachment(s)
I posted 2 barongs on the same day that this thread was begun not realizing that it was started, so let me add 3 of my other blades.

xasterix 6th January 2021 03:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drac2k
I posted 2 barongs on the same day that this thread was begun not realizing that it was started, so let me add 3 of my other blades.

Merciful Lord...that's a king's ransom of really nice barungs! Great collection!

kronckew 6th January 2021 05:45 PM

Drac2k, nice batch of barungs, the scabbard wrappings on them are giving me ideas...

drac2k 6th January 2021 08:14 PM

Thanks, guys.

Sajen 7th January 2021 10:11 PM

4 Attachment(s)
Beautiful barongs drac2k!

Here a update of my ones, some are gone, some are new to the collection.

drac2k 8th January 2021 04:57 AM

WOW Sajen, pretty darn nice ones you got there yourself; and with scabbards!

Sajen 8th January 2021 01:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drac2k
WOW Sajen, pretty darn nice ones you got there yourself; and with scabbards!

Thank you! :) But yours with the inlaid blades are outstanding.

The scabbards by the first one from left and the second from right are not original to the blades but fit them fairly well. The two at right are shadigan blades, not good to see in the pictures.

xasterix 13th January 2021 11:57 PM

1 Attachment(s)
Just received this barung last week, passed on by another forumite =) so difficult to get rid of the leaf-blade bug.

kronckew 14th January 2021 05:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xasterix
Just received this barung last week, passed on by another forumite =) so difficult to get rid of the leaf-blade bug.

True, I have more barungs than I have hands to use them.

Is that dark streak in the scabbard a crack or a darker graining? A closeup of the carving near the scabbard mouth and of the grip pommel would be useful too. And, I have this odd desire to oil & rub my wood scabbards with furniture oil... Might do the Kris ones too.

:) I love the R'eyes' mark on the blade root...cool trademark. Mfg by M.Reyes I presume.

xasterix 18th January 2021 04:06 AM

2 Attachment(s)
Quote:

Originally Posted by kronckew
True, I have more barungs than I have hands to use them.

Is that dark streak in the scabbard a crack or a darker graining? A closeup of the carving near the scabbard mouth and of the grip pommel would be useful too. And, I have this odd desire to oil & rub my wood scabbards with furniture oil... Might do the Kris ones too.

:) I love the R'eyes' mark on the blade root...cool trademark. Mfg by M.Reyes I presume.

Hi sir, it's a crack...the scabbard is damaged. I've included additional pictures.

kronckew 18th January 2021 05:15 AM

Nice, I'd be tempted to wick some superglue into the handle crack & possibly fill the scabbard defect with a wood putty or filler of some sort if you can do it without blocking the entrance of the blade, or possibly just wrap it in a few spots with rattan or other appropriate cord. But that's just me...

Royston 18th January 2021 11:36 AM

More Barongs
 
10 Attachment(s)
Here is my contribution

kai 18th January 2021 08:16 PM

Very nice collection, Roy!

kronckew 18th January 2021 08:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kai
Very nice collection, Roy!

Yup, cool stuff. Excellent!

Sajen 18th January 2021 08:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kai
Very nice collection, Roy!

Agree! :) :cool:

xasterix 18th January 2021 10:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Royston
Here is my contribution

Amazing collection! One of the best I've seen so far. May we inquire for more info regarding the 2nd, 4th, 5th, and 6th samples? The 6th sample seems extra interesting as it has provenance note.

Royston 23rd January 2021 08:51 AM

Hello Xasterix.
Can't tell you too much about them as I find Barung nomenclature somewhat confusing.
However, #5 is slightly hollow ground but it does not have a pronounced rib so I don't think it could be called shandigan.

The inscription on #6 is hard to read. I can only make out:-
From (somewhere) village
I cannot read the second line at all
Bought by Col Bird ?
April 4 1900

Cheers
Roy

kronckew 23rd January 2021 04:16 PM

1 Attachment(s)
Quote:

Originally Posted by Royston
...
The inscription on #6 is hard to read. I can only make out:-
From (somewhere) village
I cannot read the second line at all
Bought by Col Bird ?
April 4 1900...

I enlarged it, and sharpened it a bit. I still can't make out anything on that second line. The rest would make a good example for a doctor's handwriting, it's so obscure. Maybe someone else can try?

kino 24th January 2021 01:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Royston
The inscription on #6 is hard to read. I can only make out:-
From (somewhere) village
I cannot read the second line at all
Bought by Col Bird ?
April 4 1900

(somewhere) could be “Moro”

2nd line, 1st word crossed out “Sul”, as in Sulu, 2nd word looks like “Island”
3rd word, the last 4 letters looks like”jolo”

xasterix 23rd March 2021 10:46 AM

2 Attachment(s)
Adding another barung to the thread...partially restored, had to plug holes and cracks on the c-horn. I'll be restoring the blade to full functionality soon. Taking a mugshot before it's fully live again :)

Ian 23rd March 2021 10:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kronckew
I enlarged it, and sharpened it a bit. I still can't make out anything on that second line. The rest would make a good example for a doctor's handwriting, it's so obscure. Maybe someone else can try?

Wayne, as a physician let me translate this early 20th C "doctor's handwriting." :rolleyes:

From Moro Village
the(?) Island of Jolo
Bought by Col Bird(?)
April 4 1900

Ian 23rd March 2021 10:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xasterix
Adding another barung to the thread...partially restored, had to plug holes and cracks on the c-horn. I'll be restoring the blade to full functionality soon. Taking a mugshot before it's fully live again :)

Hi Xas. Very nice old barung. The hilt looks Yakan to me--would you agree?

Battara 24th March 2021 01:22 AM

I agree - Yakan

xasterix 24th March 2021 12:41 PM

2 Attachment(s)
Thanks for the assessment, Ian and Jose. I neglected to take a picture of the opposite side; here are post-restoration pics already. There's a Chinese chop-mark on that side. It supposedly translates as "to lead" or "leader," but further research is being done by a Chinese friend to confirm.

Because of the chop-mark I'd agree that it's Sulu archipelago, but not necessarily of Yakan make.

Ian 24th March 2021 10:43 PM

Xas,

Nice that it has a Chinese mark. The blade appears to have a nice laminated pattern with an inserted edge. Do you plan to etch it?

Ian.

xasterix 26th March 2021 08:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ian
Xas,

Nice that it has a Chinese mark. The blade appears to have a nice laminated pattern with an inserted edge. Do you plan to etch it?

Ian.

Hi Ian, yup I've etched it. It's monosteel :)

Indio_Ira 14th April 2021 08:43 PM

Datu Barong
 
4 Attachment(s)
Hello Everyone,

Brand new member here and thank you for approving my account!

I'm quite new to collecting so I appreciate everyone's knowledge here and input. Here is my Barong with silver hilt and ivory pommel.

The scabbard seems to have been made later than the blade since it has a 1937 US coin. It is held together by nickle bands.

Would love to hear any feedback on where this Barong originated from on from what year.

Thanks!

kai 15th April 2021 01:52 AM

Welcome to the forum!

More pics and specs of the blade would be good.

The hilt and scabbard are likely Maranao work from after WWII.

The blade might also be Maranao but difficult to tell from the limited pics.

Regards,
Kai

kronckew 15th April 2021 09:57 AM

Dimensions (length, width, thickness of blade and weight help too. Please show both sides of the blade/grip. and scabbard

Blades are often older than scabbards as they tended to drop their scabbards before a battle, and recover them after victory. If they lost, they didn't need it, the new owner could either get a new one made, or have a look to see where the previous owners dropped them & find one that fit. Even if the old owner won, he may have had a new one made if it were damaged or worn, or he wanted a more decorated one.


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