Luzon or Bandung?

Peter Andeweg · 22nd January 2022, 07:56 PM

Thank you for your comments gentlemen, I was leaning towards Gobang Bandung, but this piece is not really a textbook example.
I did a light etch on the blade to reveal the pamoresque pattern.

CharlesS · 22nd January 2022, 08:17 PM

Peter, I can certainly see why this one would give you pause to rethink it, but I believe we can look at it safely as a gobang variant.

kai · 22nd January 2022, 08:23 PM

I agree that this sword is from western Java; not a traditional highland design though. For example, the chains and the belt hook are a colonial affectation and the silverwork seems to be from the coast.

Regards,
Kai

Battara · 22nd January 2022, 09:47 PM

Yes definitely NOT Filipino. However it is very nice!

Athanase · 23rd January 2022, 12:11 AM

Whaaaa!

Very nice west javanese Gobang !!

Peter Andeweg · 23rd January 2022, 11:32 AM

Thank you all for your input!

Sajen · 23rd January 2022, 12:33 PM

Beautiful gobang!

A. G. Maisey · 26th January 2022, 06:33 AM

I do not know what a "gobang Bandung is".

I know what a gobang is, its a Javanese general purpose knife with big blade.

Interestingly, in Bahasa Indonesia a "gobang" is a coin with a hole in the middle --- 19th century I think.

I know what a golok is, and this blade looks like a golok to me.

Hilts such as the one on this implement are not unusual on Colonial era weapons in Central Jawa.

The scabbard looks very much like Kota Gede or Ngayogyakarta work, the motif is very common in Central Jawa.

I would welcome being educated on exactly what a "gobang Bandung" is, and the reference. As I said, I have never heard this term in Jawa --- or outside Jawa either, but it appears to be used fairly freely in this Forum.

One additional thing, I doubt that the blade will display pamor, I think we're looking at sanak, but with a relatively high inclusion of steel rather than iron.

EDIT

I think I might have answered my own question.

The word "gobang" occurs in a number of Malayo-Polynesian languages. In Javanese it is a general purpose knife with a large blade, in Sundanese it is a type of sabre. The word appears to be generic, much as "pedang" is generic.

Rigg gives "golok" as the direct Malay equivalent of the Sundanese "gobang".

It appears that the addition of "Bandung" was probably a reference to the area where some early gobangs in European collections were acquired.

https://docplayer.net/123814397-Rese...ger-sword.html

so "Gobang Bandung" would seem to be a description, rather than a name.

26th January 2022, 06:33 AM	#8
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,737	I do not know what a "gobang Bandung is". I know what a gobang is, its a Javanese general purpose knife with big blade. Interestingly, in Bahasa Indonesia a "gobang" is a coin with a hole in the middle --- 19th century I think. I know what a golok is, and this blade looks like a golok to me. Hilts such as the one on this implement are not unusual on Colonial era weapons in Central Jawa. The scabbard looks very much like Kota Gede or Ngayogyakarta work, the motif is very common in Central Jawa. I would welcome being educated on exactly what a "gobang Bandung" is, and the reference. As I said, I have never heard this term in Jawa --- or outside Jawa either, but it appears to be used fairly freely in this Forum. One additional thing, I doubt that the blade will display pamor, I think we're looking at sanak, but with a relatively high inclusion of steel rather than iron. EDIT I think I might have answered my own question. The word "gobang" occurs in a number of Malayo-Polynesian languages. In Javanese it is a general purpose knife with a large blade, in Sundanese it is a type of sabre. The word appears to be generic, much as "pedang" is generic. Rigg gives "golok" as the direct Malay equivalent of the Sundanese "gobang". It appears that the addition of "Bandung" was probably a reference to the area where some early gobangs in European collections were acquired. https://docplayer.net/123814397-Rese...ger-sword.html so "Gobang Bandung" would seem to be a description, rather than a name. Last edited by A. G. Maisey; 26th January 2022 at 11:53 AM.

22nd January 2022, 07:56 PM	#1
Peter Andeweg Member Join Date: Feb 2020 Location: Vlissingen, Netherlands Posts: 71	Thank you for your comments gentlemen, I was leaning towards Gobang Bandung, but this piece is not really a textbook example. I did a light etch on the blade to reveal the pamoresque pattern.

22nd January 2022, 08:17 PM	#2
CharlesS Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Greenville, NC Posts: 1,855	Peter, I can certainly see why this one would give you pause to rethink it, but I believe we can look at it safely as a gobang variant.

22nd January 2022, 08:23 PM	#3
kai Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 3,223	I agree that this sword is from western Java; not a traditional highland design though. For example, the chains and the belt hook are a colonial affectation and the silverwork seems to be from the coast. Regards, Kai

22nd January 2022, 09:47 PM	#4
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,141	Yes definitely NOT Filipino. However it is very nice!

23rd January 2022, 12:11 AM	#5
Athanase Member Join Date: Mar 2016 Location: Paris (France) Posts: 406	Whaaaa! Very nice west javanese Gobang !!

23rd January 2022, 11:32 AM	#6
Peter Andeweg Member Join Date: Feb 2020 Location: Vlissingen, Netherlands Posts: 71	Thank you all for your input!

23rd January 2022, 12:33 PM	#7
Sajen Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Germany, Dortmund Posts: 8,571	Beautiful gobang!