New Acquisition, Mandau, said to be 1800's

David · 25th February 2023, 04:42 PM

Nice clean up Joe.
I am even more convinced that this blade has been adapted to this form from some other blade and has possibly been reshaped. And from the most recent photos you show i am still not seeing a concave/convex form of blade that is a key design element of the mandau blade.
What convinces me most that this may have started it's life as a different form of sword is the area on the edge side of the blade that remains flat and unsharpened and tapers distally for a fair bit of the length of the blade. I have never seen a mandau with this feature and wonder why they chose not to begin the edge of the blade for such a distance out from the hilt. Because of the way this sword is designed i can almost guarantee it was not used for headhunting and was probably more likely employed for the more common work of jungle clearing.
The letters still intrigue, but since a good part is lost to wear it is difficult to grab any useful information here. It is possible that you might be able to read a bit more of it if you did some kind of rubbing from the surface and then held it up to a mirror.

JoeCanada42 · 25th February 2023, 09:39 PM

Thanks Sajen , David,

I think its possible it could still have been owned by a head hunter at least? I heard they used many blades, and that when European steel became available it was used by choice.

Here is another thought I have been holding in the back of my mind
used as a , Pirate Sword?

Something I just staring researching...
British officer swords circa 1800 carrying this same G mark

JoeCanada42 · 26th February 2023, 02:15 AM

the G. , stamped marks
?The S matches with Mandau, Werecow found
swords dating from 1796-1803

JoeCanada42 · 26th February 2023, 06:38 PM

coin

JoeCanada42 · 27th February 2023, 05:21 AM

I read about pre regulation Dutch klewang blades and found that interesting..
but with the scabbard, handle and more unique to mandau style blade i am thinking this is older then the Dutch klewangs. maybe this form was developed by the natives , using a British blade from earlier.

I heard the natives preferred trading with the British over the Dutch because the British gave things the natives wanted like knives whereas the Dutch brought like blankets to the jungle..

perhaps even maybe this form blade was made by British in Galle for trade to the natives.

JoeCanada42 · 27th February 2023, 05:01 PM

I just heard on an episode of forged in fire with Klewangs
"when the Dutch colonial government was in Malaysia , they encountered and found the klewang so deadly they outlawed it before developing their own"

Ian thank you for your post on Dutch klewangs I found it very interesting. and it lead me the the post that included the pre regulation klewangs, thanks also Amuk Murugul whom shared that one.

kai · 27th February 2023, 06:26 PM

Well, Joe, please take every factual statement you hear on FIF with a huge chunk of salt if you may...

Malaysia derives from the British colonial sphere of influence - the Dutch did not enter there.

The Dutch klewang was never based on any indigenous blade. During the Aceh war(s) and resistance periods, Indonesian conscripts (mainly from the Moluccas and Madura IIRC) found the performance of the issued Dutch swords wanting, especially in close quarters - no big surprise there. Them resorting to local Aceh swords and other traditional blades initiated the development of the Dutch-Indo klewang.

These are thin and slender blades - you'd need to join at least 2 klewang blades to obtain a mandau blade. Thus, klewang blades are an unlikely source.

Have you followed up on Wilkinson and other British suppliers?

Another possibility might be modern Sunda smiths moving to Borneo and setting up shop there (most likely after independence and possibly transmigrasi).

Regards,
Kai

25th February 2023, 09:39 PM	#2
JoeCanada42 Member Join Date: Jan 2021 Location: Canada Posts: 259	Thanks Sajen , David, I think its possible it could still have been owned by a head hunter at least? I heard they used many blades, and that when European steel became available it was used by choice. Here is another thought I have been holding in the back of my mind used as a , Pirate Sword? Something I just staring researching... British officer swords circa 1800 carrying this same G mark Last edited by JoeCanada42; 25th February 2023 at 11:04 PM.

26th February 2023, 02:15 AM	#3
JoeCanada42 Member Join Date: Jan 2021 Location: Canada Posts: 259	the G. , stamped marks ?The S matches with Mandau, Werecow found swords dating from 1796-1803 Attached Images

26th February 2023, 06:38 PM	#4
JoeCanada42 Member Join Date: Jan 2021 Location: Canada Posts: 259	coin Attached Images

25th February 2023, 04:42 PM	#1
David Keris forum moderator Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Nova Scotia Posts: 7,219	Nice clean up Joe. I am even more convinced that this blade has been adapted to this form from some other blade and has possibly been reshaped. And from the most recent photos you show i am still not seeing a concave/convex form of blade that is a key design element of the mandau blade. What convinces me most that this may have started it's life as a different form of sword is the area on the edge side of the blade that remains flat and unsharpened and tapers distally for a fair bit of the length of the blade. I have never seen a mandau with this feature and wonder why they chose not to begin the edge of the blade for such a distance out from the hilt. Because of the way this sword is designed i can almost guarantee it was not used for headhunting and was probably more likely employed for the more common work of jungle clearing. The letters still intrigue, but since a good part is lost to wear it is difficult to grab any useful information here. It is possible that you might be able to read a bit more of it if you did some kind of rubbing from the surface and then held it up to a mirror.

27th February 2023, 05:21 AM	#5
JoeCanada42 Member Join Date: Jan 2021 Location: Canada Posts: 259	I read about pre regulation Dutch klewang blades and found that interesting.. but with the scabbard, handle and more unique to mandau style blade i am thinking this is older then the Dutch klewangs. maybe this form was developed by the natives , using a British blade from earlier. I heard the natives preferred trading with the British over the Dutch because the British gave things the natives wanted like knives whereas the Dutch brought like blankets to the jungle.. perhaps even maybe this form blade was made by British in Galle for trade to the natives.

27th February 2023, 05:01 PM	#6
JoeCanada42 Member Join Date: Jan 2021 Location: Canada Posts: 259	I just heard on an episode of forged in fire with Klewangs "when the Dutch colonial government was in Malaysia , they encountered and found the klewang so deadly they outlawed it before developing their own" Ian thank you for your post on Dutch klewangs I found it very interesting. and it lead me the the post that included the pre regulation klewangs, thanks also Amuk Murugul whom shared that one.

27th February 2023, 06:26 PM	#7
kai Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 3,255	Well, Joe, please take every factual statement you hear on FIF with a huge chunk of salt if you may... Malaysia derives from the British colonial sphere of influence - the Dutch did not enter there. The Dutch klewang was never based on any indigenous blade. During the Aceh war(s) and resistance periods, Indonesian conscripts (mainly from the Moluccas and Madura IIRC) found the performance of the issued Dutch swords wanting, especially in close quarters - no big surprise there. Them resorting to local Aceh swords and other traditional blades initiated the development of the Dutch-Indo klewang. These are thin and slender blades - you'd need to join at least 2 klewang blades to obtain a mandau blade. Thus, klewang blades are an unlikely source. Have you followed up on Wilkinson and other British suppliers? Another possibility might be modern Sunda smiths moving to Borneo and setting up shop there (most likely after independence and possibly transmigrasi). Regards, Kai