Please Help Identify Asian(?) Daggers

Ian · Yesterday, 02:36 PM

hi Jo,

I agree with Detlef about the one on the left and the one in the middle.

The central one is a Spanish Colonial knife dating from the 19th C or a bit earlier. The quality of workmanship is good and the blade might be Spanish, but probably made locally. The hilt is of a Spanish style from the late 18th-19th C and matches many Spanish/Spanish Colonial knife hilts of that period with its three part form (full tang, ferrule-grip-ferrule) plus a cross guard. This knife is most likely from the Philippines, but Mexico cannot be excluded. If the knife came with a sheath it would provide a clue as to region of origin.

The third one is harder to place. The blade is, I think, a former spear head mounted with a hilt. The blade appears to be well forged, and considerably better than village quality. My first thought was mainland SE Asia or Malaysia. The carved bone (?) hilt representing a bird reminds me of Chinese representations of herons in art works, although the bird in your piece seems to be a swan or duck. I'm hoping some of our long time collectors of SE Asian weapons might recognize it.

You have done well with your bargain hunting.

Yesterday, 02:36 PM	#4
Ian Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: The Aussie Bush Posts: 4,656	hi Jo, I agree with Detlef about the one on the left and the one in the middle. The central one is a Spanish Colonial knife dating from the 19th C or a bit earlier. The quality of workmanship is good and the blade might be Spanish, but probably made locally. The hilt is of a Spanish style from the late 18th-19th C and matches many Spanish/Spanish Colonial knife hilts of that period with its three part form (full tang, ferrule-grip-ferrule) plus a cross guard. This knife is most likely from the Philippines, but Mexico cannot be excluded. If the knife came with a sheath it would provide a clue as to region of origin. The third one is harder to place. The blade is, I think, a former spear head mounted with a hilt. The blade appears to be well forged, and considerably better than village quality. My first thought was mainland SE Asia or Malaysia. The carved bone (?) hilt representing a bird reminds me of Chinese representations of herons in art works, although the bird in your piece seems to be a swan or duck. I'm hoping some of our long time collectors of SE Asian weapons might recognize it. You have done well with your bargain hunting.