Question On Odd Barong

[Robert]

Imagine my surprise when this barong showed up on my doorstep with 5 other items as a birthday present from my lovely wife. It measures 24 inches in total with an 18-3/4 inch blade that is 7/16 inch thick at the hilt and 2-1/2 inches wide at its widest point. The fittings are silver on a beautiful horn hilt with the piece weighting in at 2 pounds 2 ounces.

Robert

[Lew]

Could this be a Visayan barong?

[kai]

Doesn't look like a classic single-beveled Visayan blade.

I get more of a Mindanao feel with this one - Lumad?

Regards,
Kai

[Robert]

Doesn't look like a classic single-beveled Visayan blade.

I get more of a Mindanao feel with this one

Hello Kai, That was what I was thinking after looking at the one in Lorenz post (picture above) showing the same protrusions at the base of the blade and the museum tag saying Mindanao. Though the hilts are very different the overall style of the blade is the same.

Robert

[kai]

Hello Robert,

That was what I was thinking after looking at the one in Lorenz post (picture above) showing the same protrusions at the base of the blade and the museum tag saying Mindanao.

The museum tag says "Armas de los Moros de Jolo y Mindanao, Filipinas" - with Jolo being the seat of power of the Sulu sultanate, this basically boils down to that some museum curator thinks the displayed pieces are of Moro origin and, thus, originated from Sulu or Mindanao (probably not based on detailed research on this sword). One would need to delve into the original museum records (if extant) as well as try researching the family history of the donator including military records (if extant) to possibly be able to propose a likely origin of this sword.

Though the hilts are very different the overall style of the blade is the same.

The similarities are certainly interesting. However, given the notches in your example and the engraving of the other example, I'd hesitate to positively declare even the blades to be of the same origin.

Regards,
Kai

[Battara]

What a nice clean up! Looks like a shadrigan blade on it. Lovely piece. (Great wife! )

[Sajen]

Just reread this thread, I was in Indonesia when it was posted!

Beautiful barong Robert, congrats for it and your wife!!

Regards,

Detlef

[KuKulzA28]

I don't have much constructive to add to this
since I don't know much about these blades but...

Originally Posted by Robert Coleman

Imagine my surprise when this barong showed up on my doorstep with 5 other items as a birthday present from my lovely wife

WOW.



niiiiice!