Name that scabbard

[Gavin Nugent]

Originally Posted by Matt Easton

Aha! Many thanks all - one of those Sumatran pedang scabbards looks very close. Dimensions won't really help in this case, as it is a 32 inch custom-made example for a European sword. I'm trying to pin down where the colonial officer may have been when the scabbard was made for him.
Further opinions and examples much appreciated.
Matt

Hi Matt,

The devil is in the detail. The flower in the scabbard throat may add more to the discussion and the four petals sprouting from it. There appears to be more detail just above the flower, in the next section towards the throat opening. I have attached a detailed photo of this area that may also help others discuss this sword for your understanding.

To my eye, the small flower is seen on Burmese swords but not the 4 large outside leaves. I have a Burmese blade here the same flower on the spine and the binding on the scabbrd is typical of the region, a region that was British occupied....but....the scabbard end, it however A-typical of Burmese sword scabbards to my knowledge, which by design points back to the Sumatran swords mentioned above, a region that also uses this flower like motif and shares the same binding method more so than a Dha.

I recall seeing the flower and four large leaves on some Philippine weapons too.

An interesting pickup.

Gavin