Important Collection of Antique Asian Arms
Lot 110:
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.), Arabic script, or other esotericmotifs such as this example in the Schmiedt Collection. Many kris blades are forged with fullersand these are likely heavily influenced by Malay style keris called malela keris.This example in the Schmiedt Collection is a very fine example with a large heavy silverjungayyan carved pommel in superb condition. The handle itself with gold or suasa bands withchased okir designs and filigreed silver. The asang asang also with okir motifs and original tothe sword. The blade is a 5 luk form with a complex geometry, inlaid with silver dots and asilver border around the fuller running two thirds of the length of the blade. The large hilt formof this type was most popular with Sulu Moros and those from Maguindanao on the island ofMindanao. Mindanao pieces were often hilted in this form with the okir chased silver andfiligreed silver hilts. Pieces of this level of quality would be considered lineage pieces (Cato 1996) and would be passed down through generations of ownership.Dating to the late 19th to early 20th century.Total Length (inside scabbard if present) : 32 1/4" Blade Length : 26 1/2" References:1. Cato, R. (1996) Moro swords. Graham Brash: Singapore2. Barados, D., (1995) Land of the Morning: Treasures of the Philippines, San FranciscoCraft & Folk Museum, 1995.3. Casal, G. et al, (1981) The People and Art of the Philippines, UCLA Museum ofCultural History4. Combes, F. (1667) Historia de Mindanao y Joló, por el p. Francisco CombÃĩs … Obrapublicada en Madrid en 1667, y que ahora con la colaboración del p. Pablo Pastells …saca nuevamente 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 thePhilippine islands 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.Edition Fichter, Frankfurt am Main.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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