Moro Kriss with Silver Jungayyan Hilt

[CharlesS]

This is a very nice example of a Moro kriss with a silver jungayyan hilt and I felt very fortunate to get it.

The pics do not do the hilt justice as it is huge!

The blade, interestingly, is all homogenous steel, not even showing a temper line.

[kai]

Hello Charles,

The pics do not do the hilt justice as it is huge!

That's a really huge one! I'd guess this is a fairly late example (1st quarter of the 20th c.).

The blade, interestingly, is all homogenous steel, not even showing a temper line.

Interesting. The steel does show decent hardness though, doesn't it?

There seems to be a vestigial separation line - looks like a separate gangya.

BTW, how long is this blade?

Regards,
Kai

[Maurice]

Beautifull kris to look at Charles!

I wonder, the scabbardtip, is that a piece of horn?
Normally these kind of scabbardtips are found on sundangs, isn't it?
But the kris itself is definately moro in my eyes!

A friend of mine has a similar morokris, with similar silver pommel (also the decoration looks very similar). The handle of his piece are silver rings with okir desigh and with silverwire in between...
Unfortunately I have no image available.

Maurice

[CharlesS]

Blade length is 21in. or 54cm.

The steel is plenty hard, just no interesting characteristics.

I believe it was made from top to bottom exclusively as a status piece.

[Battara]

Here I disagree with Kai a little. I feel that this is no later than the turn of the century. I have noticed that after that time, the junggayan hilts disappear and the gold plated hilts and lesser quality hilts come into play. Even 1920s pictures of Moro datus sporting these types of kris are actually holding older kris.

I have seen this piece in person and can tell you some things:

1. the ganga is in fact separated, 2. the quality of okir filigree is better than that of later work, 3. blade is not the same as that of the later forms starting after 1915 with sharp luks - this one has smoother rounded luks.

These are some of the other reasons that I place an earlier date on this piece.

I also agree with Maurice in that there were originally silver bands and then silver braided bands on the hilt, though I did not think of silver okir bands - probably depends on where it came from (Maguindanao - okir, Sulu - plain). This piece I would attribute to Sulu.

I also bid on it but......well........ah............

Yes nice piece Charles (grumble, grumble, envy, envy......)

[CharlesS]

Battara,

Interesting note on the okir filigree. I don't think that is seen often on sword decor anyway is it?

[CharlesS]

Maurice,

The scabbard tip not horn, but clearly painted to look like. The paint is old, having patinated and worn.

Do you see this as a possible Malay influence?

[Dimasalang]

Dam thats nice.
I don't think I'll ever be fortunate enough to own such a piece.

[Maurice]

Originally Posted by CharlesS

Maurice,

The scabbard tip not horn, but clearly painted to look like. The paint is old, having patinated and worn.

Do you see this as a possible Malay influence?

Hello Charles,

I don't know, but I have never have seen it on moro kris scabbards (I handled and I have got in my computerdatabase).

It seems that the malay sundang have such tip but than made of horn, and more round. Maybe they tried to copy this by paint, as they had seen it with Malay sundangs?

But the moro's always amaze me with their swords. They all look the same and also different....that's why I like them...

Maurice

[Battara]

Originally Posted by CharlesS

Battara,

Interesting note on the okir filigree. I don't think that is seen often on sword decor anyway is it?

No, not really. You will see it on gunong, which most examples are of a late date (again turn of the century and later). On Moro swords, however, I have not seen filigree except on later and cheap pieces, and usually the filigree is brass. The filigree that I have seen is also of a different type and quality.

The filigree on your piece appears to me more delicate with better workmanship than that of most filigree that I see on later pieces. I have never seen this type of filigree work before in Moro okir style and not on a sword or dagger.

Remember if you throw it in the garbage, please let me know first (I'll go back behind the cans now.... ).