Featured Mystery Antique Carved Bone Knife and Sheath

Well, this is an odd one for me. About 12 inched long, all hand carved bone, sheath appears to be made of two pieces. Blade is about 7 inches, no markings, and sharp on the inside curve. It appears to be quite old, appears the blade was sharpened at some point. If you have any idea what this is or where it was made, I would love to know. Whoever made sure put lots of work into it.

 

Looks similar to this one, identified as a "badek" knife from Sulawesi, Indonesia:

https://oriental-arms.com/product/fine-badek-badik-knife-sulawesi-indonesia/

"The Badek (Badik) is a very common side knife from Indonesia. The most typical feature of the Badek is its pistol grip. From its native Sulawesi, the Badek spread to Java, Borneo, Sumatra and as far as the Malay Peninsula, creating a wide variety typical to each region and/or ethnic group."

@Any Jewelry can probably tell you more.

 

Sumatra Sewar..........

https://www.ebay.com/itm/254742087621

 

It is a tumbuk lada. The tumbuk lada originated among the Batak in North Sumatra, but spread to neigbouring regions. Tumbuk lada means pepper pounder.
Given the decorations I would say this one is from Riau, on the northeast coast of Sumatra, close to Singapore and southern Malaysia.

That stained bone generally means second half of the 20th century.
If the blade has been sharpened, that means it was used, became blunt, and was sharpened. Tumbuk ladas are knives which could be used for anything, so they get blunt and are sharpened. Some people liken them to machetes.

Badiks/badeks, sewars and tumbuk lada are all closely related. The differences are regional, and of course regional decorative styles.

 

The one on ebay is a Batak tumbuk lada, as is the last one you posted. Those parrot head shaped hilts are classic Batak.
The second last one could be Batak as well.

 

Found some Riau tumbuk ladas, with that same Riauan shield shape on the hilt:


https://adcdymm58.wordpress.com/2010/06/18/tumbuk-lada-hilt-blade/



https://www.antique-swords.com/897-Malay-Riau-Sumatra-Tumbuk-Lada.html

 

Beautiful piece!

 

I've been known to be wrong before....but having you correct me.....
never a problem !!!!!!

 

Thanks for all the great information! My wife is making me sell it (kind of pissed I bought it), so I figured I better find out what it is.

 

I forgot the photo of the other side, not that it matters, but it is cool!

 

That's too bad Rick..........
I can only imaging what other pleasures your lovely wife keeps you from....

 

Any idea what type of bone this was carved from?

 

bovine....likely..

 

I agree.