Pls help me identify this sword

David · 20th June 2012, 02:13 PM

Wow Michael, it was awesome to open up this thread and see your first post, "I am new to this forum..."

I am sure that your collection and your knowledge base has come a long way in the past 8 years!
I must say that Museum description or not, something still does not seem quite Moro about these. Even though there is provenance of where it was collected, it still does not necessarily mean that is the place of origin. Anything is possible, but stylistically the fittings just don't seem Moro to me.

The Museum of Natural History is a wonderful place (i am originally from New York), but i have seen ethnographic weapons mislabeled there before. They may well be right this time, but i do take their judgement with a little grain of salt at times.

VVV · 20th June 2012, 02:33 PM

Thanks David,

Yes, it was a bit nostalgic to read this old thread again with comments from some forumites that unfortuanetly aren't active anymore.
I fully agree with your comments about mislabeling and grains of salt etc but I have checked all the European museum collections that are available online, too. And I haven't found it in any of them, even if they seem to have almost all kinds of Indonesian swords in there collections. So based on this "negative fact" my conclusion is that, until otherwise proved, I prefer to label it Moro based on the two pictures above (2 > 1

) together with the collection notes that came with them about provenance.
But it would be great if someone else could contribute with an additional piece to this puzzle...

Michael

PS Thanks for the help with the pictures kronckew!

kronckew · 20th June 2012, 06:21 PM

you're most welcome. love those weapons by the way.

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20th June 2012, 02:13 PM	#1
David Keris forum moderator Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Nova Scotia Posts: 7,263	Wow Michael, it was awesome to open up this thread and see your first post, "I am new to this forum..." I am sure that your collection and your knowledge base has come a long way in the past 8 years! I must say that Museum description or not, something still does not seem quite Moro about these. Even though there is provenance of where it was collected, it still does not necessarily mean that is the place of origin. Anything is possible, but stylistically the fittings just don't seem Moro to me. The Museum of Natural History is a wonderful place (i am originally from New York), but i have seen ethnographic weapons mislabeled there before. They may well be right this time, but i do take their judgement with a little grain of salt at times.

20th June 2012, 02:33 PM	#2
VVV Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Sweden Posts: 1,637	Thanks David, Yes, it was a bit nostalgic to read this old thread again with comments from some forumites that unfortuanetly aren't active anymore. I fully agree with your comments about mislabeling and grains of salt etc but I have checked all the European museum collections that are available online, too. And I haven't found it in any of them, even if they seem to have almost all kinds of Indonesian swords in there collections. So based on this "negative fact" my conclusion is that, until otherwise proved, I prefer to label it Moro based on the two pictures above (2 > 1 ) together with the collection notes that came with them about provenance. But it would be great if someone else could contribute with an additional piece to this puzzle... Michael PS Thanks for the help with the pictures kronckew!

20th June 2012, 06:21 PM	#3
kronckew Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Room 101, Glos. UK Posts: 4,269	you're most welcome. love those weapons by the way.