VOC mark on a sword ( is this real? )

[Jim McDougall]

Thats a beauty Ferrylaki! and as noted a pedang....but what is best is that the blade appears to be authentic VOC, and the date is typically inscribed in this way as well. These are incredibly hard to find these days, and the ones I have seen are usually marked with these 18th century dates, 1759, 1769 etc. The VOC (Vereenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie) seems correct in form also. Check coin references for Dutch East Indies and you will see this exact configuration.

The Dutch East India Company organization consisted of six 'kamers' (chambers) in port cities in the Netherlands which were; Amsterdam, Delft, Rotterdam, Enkhuizen, Middleburg and Hoorn. Property, including sword blades in this case, had a VOC mark with a letter denoting the chamber assigned......in the case of this blade it would be of course Delft.


I have always been curious why the dating on these blades seems consistantly in this range of the 18th century, the same Dutch blades are commonly found on Sinhalese kastanes as well. It is interesting that the commercial conflicts between the trade companies of the major powers were intensifying in these regions during these times, and there were major internal conflicts within the company. It was dissolved in 1800.

Excellent find!!!
All best regards,
Jim