Important Collection of Antique Asian Arms
Lot 10:
This is a classic sword of the Moro people of the southern Philippines and of the Sulu Sea areacalled a kris. The classic Moro kris is based heavily on the Indonesian keris but is distinctlylarger and made purposefully for fighting. The kris has always been the most famous of allMoro weapons and there are a wide set of variation of blade types, handle forms, and materials.Generally all kris blades are wide at the base, double-edged, and can be waved, half-waved halfstraight, or straight in which case they were more practical in combat. Older kris had fewerwaves and the waves were deeper and wider. Over time the waves became shallower, tighter, andmore numerous and therefore required greater skill to prevent the blade bouncing off or beingstuck in an enemys body. The higher number of waves meant the more potent the kris was intalismanic power such as this example. Sometimes engravings (often filled in with brass or silverinlay) are found on the blade in okir motifs (vines, foliage, etc.) or Arabic script. Many krisblades are forged with fullers and these are likely heavily influenced by Malay style keris calledmalela keris. Especially high quality kris for Datus, would have been made of rare materialsand had blades of especially fine construction with lamellar steel or in some rare cases twistcoreblade forms. It is possible to differentiate between Moro kris and attribute to certain regions orethnic groups such as the Maguindano, Sulu Moros, and Maranaos, based on the design of theblades and the fullering.In some cases, certain types of hilts and decoration can also indicate origin. This variation withthe classic kakatua pattern pommel, were made of a variety of metal alloys and are likely to befrom the Sulu Sultanate. An especially elegant example was displayed in the 2019 exhibition(Steel and Magic) at the Deutsche Klingen Museum (2020) and attributed to the Sulu Sultanate.This example in the Schmiedt Collection is of fine quality. The pommel is formed from a metalalloy, potentially suasa or gilded silver. Suasa being a gold and copper alloy, sometimes alsoreferred to as (river gold). The hilt is wrapped in alternating metal bands. The blade is a finelymade example with okir decorations at the base and displaying lamellar patterns throughout.This level of decoration of the hilt and the blade indicate this would have been a Datus kris.Dating to the 19th century.Total Length (inside scabbard if present) : 26 1/4" Blade Length : 21 3/4"References:1. Cato, R. (1996) Moro swords. Graham Brash: Singapore2. Barados, D., (1995) Land of the Morning: Treasures of the Philippines, San Francisco Craft &Folk Museum, 1995.3. Casal, G. et al, (1981) The People and Art of the Philippines, UCLA Museum of CulturalHistory4. Combes, F. (1667) Historia de Mindanao y Joló, por el p. Francisco CombÃĩs … Obra publicadaen Madrid en 1667, y que ahora con la colaboración del p. Pablo Pastells … sacanuevamente á luz W. E. Retana. Madrid: [Viuda de M. Minuesa de los Rios]5. Krieger, H. W. (1926). The collection of primitive weapons and armor of the Philippineislands in the United States National museum. Washington: Govt. Print. Off.6. Macao Museum of Art. (2007). History of Steel in East Asia. Macao Museum of Art. Macau7. Wetzler, S. (2020) Steel and Magic. Edged Weapons of the Malay Archipelago. EditionFichter, Frankfurt am MainDetailed condition reports are not included in this catalog. For additional information, including condition reports, please contact us at [email protected]
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