Ilongot bolo for comment

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by Tim Simmons

Interesting scabbard with the lizard motif. This not the same weapon but from the same part of the world. When I first post pictures of it here many years ago because it had a gecko/salamander motif on the scabbard it was deemed a late 20th century tourist piece? I think we are past that now?

Hello Tim,
have a very similar hinalung, see here, post #3: http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ghlight=bontoc and my one have for sure a good age, clearly not a tourist piece. At the side of the open scabbard is attached a nail for a carrying belt and think to see it by yours as well, I think a sign of real use. You have enough experience to tell if the patination on your piece is old, so what you think byself? The lizard could be a gecko, a animal about many Asian ethnics think that it have some magic. In Java the people think for example when this animal give noise seven times in a row that you will have good luck.

Regards,
Detlef

[Battara]

Here is a note: the aboriginal Taiwanese and Philippine peoples are genetically and linguistically related, as well as with the rest of the region.

[Sajen]

Finally I have received the bolo and I am more as happy with my purchase. There are no signs that something is missing at the toe of the scabbard and Ian was correct, there have been once MOP dangles at the scabbard but only one is still complete present. All wooden parts show a very nice glossy patina and the blade is in very good condition. Here some additional pictures.