A pair of interesting Philippine Edged Weapons

drac2k · 31st December 2025, 10:07 PM

For your viewing.

JeffS · Yesterday, 04:17 AM

The Visayan scabbard does not look correct for the top bolo. For the knife, is the handle peened?

drac2k · Yesterday, 04:34 AM

Yes both handles are peened.They have matching collection numbers on the scabbards and the weapons, but we all know how museums are.I agree, that the longer sword was either cut down or it is a mismatched sheath..

Sajen · Yesterday, 10:40 AM

Hello David, I agree with Jeff, the top bolo looks very Luzon to my eyes while the scabbard looks Visayan and the scabbard looks like a mismatch.
The Visayan knife looks very nice!

drac2k · Yesterday, 10:52 AM

I agree with both of you.The knife is my favorite as well;it is heavy and by its configuration, I think its main purpose was for fighting.

Sajen · Yesterday, 03:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drac2k

The knife is my favorite as well;it is heavy and by its configuration, I think its main purpose was for fighting.

Jep, it's also my favorite!

Bob A · Yesterday, 07:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drac2k

I agree with both of you.The knife is my favorite as well;it is heavy and by its configuration, I think its main purpose was for fighting.

Yes, indeed, it caught my eye as well. The triangular blade cross-section is interesting.

drac2k · Yesterday, 08:32 PM

The triangular cross section is only on one side;the blade measures 9.75" long x 1&5/8" at its widest.

Ian · Today, 09:36 AM

Hi Drac,

Two nice Luzon knives with some age I believe.

The smaller one with the triangular blade plus D-guard with down-turned quillion has Spanish colonial features. I think this one was locally made in Luzon (the full tang hilt and Spanish colonial features suggest Luzon rather than Visayas) and perhaps from the Batangas/Lake Taal area to the south of Manila. The lines and cross-hatching are features I've seen on other Batangas/L-T knives. This one could be late 19th C in manufacture.

The longer one has not been cut down in my opinion. The shape of this blade is commonly found in Northern Luzon (Ilokos) as well as Central Luzon (Pampanga) and other Tagalog areas. The Visayan scabbard appears misplaced for this knife. Hard to judge the age of this one. Perhaps WWII-era or a little earlier.

Regards, Ian.

Sajen · Today, 01:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ian

The smaller one with the trinagular blade plus D-guard with down-turned quillion has Spanish colonial features. I think this one was locally made in Luzon (the full tang hilt and Spanish colonial features suggest Luzon rather than Visayas) and perhaps from the Batangas/Lake Taal area to the south of Manila. The lines and cross-hatching are features I've seen on other Batangas/L-T knives. This one could be late 19th C in manufacture.

Hi Ian,
I would disagree, I think that this dagger is pure Visayan. Maybe Xas will join in and can tell us more about this dagger.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ian

The longer one has not been cut down in my opinion. The shape of this blade is commonly found in Northern Luzon (Ilokos) as well as Central Luzon (Pampanga) and other Tagalog areas. The Visayan scabbrd appears misplaced for this knife. Hard to judge the age of this one. Perhaps WWII-era or a little earlier.

Agree with you!

Regards,
Detlef

Ian · Today, 04:13 PM

Hi Detlef,

What puts me off a Visayan origin for the smaller knife is the full length tang and the form of the D-guard. Perhaps something from Cebu, but I think that is less likely than Luzon.

Regards, Ian.

Sajen · Today, 07:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ian

What puts me off a Visayan origin for the smaller knife is the full length tang and the form of the D-guard. Perhaps something from Cebu, but I think that is less likely than Luzon.

Hi Ian,

Of course you could be correct, the complete handle and the full tang construction looks very Luzon to my eyes as well. It could be a Luzon dagger sheathed in a Visayan scabbard. But the scabbard seems to be made for this blade. When I saw this dagger I remembered directly an old thread where Zel has shown some very nice Visayan blades, the engraving at the ricasso area and the blade cross section are very similar, see the pics. But like always I could very well be wrong.

Regards,
Detlef

31st December 2025, 10:07 PM	#1
drac2k Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Posts: 1,311	A pair of interesting Philippine Edged Weapons For your viewing. Attached Images Last edited by Ian; Today at 10:25 AM.

Today, 09:36 AM	#9
Ian Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: The Aussie Bush Posts: 4,628	Hi Drac, Two nice Luzon knives with some age I believe. The smaller one with the triangular blade plus D-guard with down-turned quillion has Spanish colonial features. I think this one was locally made in Luzon (the full tang hilt and Spanish colonial features suggest Luzon rather than Visayas) and perhaps from the Batangas/Lake Taal area to the south of Manila. The lines and cross-hatching are features I've seen on other Batangas/L-T knives. This one could be late 19th C in manufacture. The longer one has not been cut down in my opinion. The shape of this blade is commonly found in Northern Luzon (Ilokos) as well as Central Luzon (Pampanga) and other Tagalog areas. The Visayan scabbard appears misplaced for this knife. Hard to judge the age of this one. Perhaps WWII-era or a little earlier. Regards, Ian. Last edited by Ian; Today at 04:16 PM. Reason: Spelling

Yesterday, 04:17 AM	#2
JeffS Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Singapore Posts: 443	The Visayan scabbard does not look correct for the top bolo. For the knife, is the handle peened?

Yesterday, 04:34 AM	#3
drac2k Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Posts: 1,311	Yes both handles are peened.They have matching collection numbers on the scabbards and the weapons, but we all know how museums are.I agree, that the longer sword was either cut down or it is a mismatched sheath..

Yesterday, 10:40 AM	#4
Sajen Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Germany, Dortmund Posts: 9,508	Hello David, I agree with Jeff, the top bolo looks very Luzon to my eyes while the scabbard looks Visayan and the scabbard looks like a mismatch. The Visayan knife looks very nice!

Yesterday, 10:52 AM	#5
drac2k Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Posts: 1,311	I agree with both of you.The knife is my favorite as well;it is heavy and by its configuration, I think its main purpose was for fighting.

Yesterday, 08:32 PM	#8
drac2k Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Posts: 1,311	The triangular cross section is only on one side;the blade measures 9.75" long x 1&5/8" at its widest.

Today, 04:13 PM	#11
Ian Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: The Aussie Bush Posts: 4,628	Hi Detlef, What puts me off a Visayan origin for the smaller knife is the full length tang and the form of the D-guard. Perhaps something from Cebu, but I think that is less likely than Luzon. Regards, Ian.