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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;GreekAntiques, post: 6348823, member: 64355&quot;]Antiquers,</p><p><br /></p><p>Greetings on the eve of 2023. I recently acquired a number of items from Indonesia.&nbsp; Amongst these is a blade I want to share with you.</p><p><br /></p><p>As you will see from the pictures below, it comes with a scabbard and braided rattan carrying loop.</p><p><br /></p><p>The single-edged blade is iron, beautifully forged and decorated with intricate&nbsp; incisions and fretwork.&nbsp; It is very heavy and shockingly sharp.&nbsp; </p><p><br /></p><p>The hilt is made of carved organic material, ivory in color but not, I assume, of elephantine origin, and adorned with tufts of hair of different colors.&nbsp; The accounts I have read indicate that these would traditionally been deer horn and dyed goat hair.&nbsp; There is dark gold wire wrapped around the bottom of the hilt.</p><p><br /></p><p>The scabbard is made of two lightweight panels of wood lashed together with strips of tough dried plant material.&nbsp; Tufts of hair, colored ivory, red and black, adorn the length of the scabbard, affixed by a dark, dried once sticky material.</p><p><br /></p><p>There is a second, shorter sheath on the back of the scabbard from which a brand-new braided carrying loop emerges.</p><p><br /></p><p>Age is, of course, impossible to determine, but I strongly suspect that the various components are of different vintages.</p><p><br /></p><p>My research reveals that it is from Indonesia or perhaps Malaysia, most likely a Dayak sword.&nbsp; Whether it is a <i>mandau</i> or <i>parang ilang</i> or <i>jimpul, </i> I do not know, and look forward to hearing from you regarding the proper name and place of origin.</p><p><br /></p><p>Combined length: 31 inches (78.74 cm). Width of scabbard: 1.5 inches.&nbsp; Circumference of scabbard: 6.5 inches. Length of sword: 29 inches (73.66 cm). Length of blade:&nbsp; 23 inches.&nbsp; Width of blade at base:&nbsp; .8 inches. Width of blade at widest point: 1.5 inches.</p><p><br /></p><p>Pictures are below, hopefully featuring enough detail. I await with great interest your observations.</p><p><br /></p><p>I wish you and your families a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year, wherever you may be.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]418973[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]418974[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]418974[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]418975[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]418977[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]418976[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]418978[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]418979[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]418980[/ATTACH][ATTACH=full]418981[/ATTACH][/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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