Important Collection of Antique Asian Arms
Lot 100:
A rare form of an Indonesian sword, called the alamang, this sword has a flattened, heavy and deeply indented hilt which takes the form of a stylized hornbill head. The blade’s edgeand back are straight and parallel. The back curves towards the edge at the point. The alamanghas a straight, plain scabbard sometimes with a small foot, while scabbard’s mouth is somewhatbroadened in the form of keris scabbards with buntut enlargements. These are uncommonswords and have found their way into important institutional collections. For example, the RoyalCollection Trust has an example presented to the King of England in the early 19th century. That example is described as having been ‘found in a chest at Hampton CourtPalace, Nov. 12th 1827’. However, it was likely sent to George IV from Malaysia by Sir Stamford Raffles, who had excellent diplomatic relations with many of the local rulers, andreceived gifts from them. It could, for example, have come from the Sultan of Sambar who presented him with an orangutan in 1810.The example in the Schmiedt Collection is of particular fine quality and includes the originalscabbard mounted in embossed silver displaying traditional Sulawesi style floral designs in atriangular motif, similar to the tumpal motif found on keris hilts, and which can also be found onSulawesi style kris scabbards. These swords are attributed to the Bugis and Makassar peoples inthe southern Sulawesi region. In the region the sword is also called a Sonri or Salapu while it isalso known as a Sudang in Makassar terms, and Labbo Penai in Toraja terms. The blade of thisexample is well forged with a fine controlled linear pamor pattern.Total Length (inside scabbard if present) : 25 1/4" Blade Length : 19" References:1. Van Zonneveld, A.G. (2001) Traditional Weapons of the Indonesian Archipelago.Leiden: Art Books.Detailed condition reports are not included in this catalog. For additional information, including condition reports, please contact us at [email protected]
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