Important Collection of Antique Asian Arms
Lot 209:
This is a classic sword of the Moro people of the southern Philippines and of the Sulu Sea area called 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 all Moro 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. Sometimes engravings (often filled in with brass or silver inlay) are found on the blade in okir motifs (vines, foliage, etc.), Arabic script, or other esoteric motifs such as this example in the Schmiedt Collection. Kris such as this example inlaidwith silver dots are influenced by the blades of the Dayak in Borneo which also feature inlays ofbrass or silver of circles or other forms, though Moro kris generally have larger silver inlay. One of the ways to identify the origin of a kris is through the design of the elephant head trunkand cavity of the ganja. The Maguindanao form is very similar to the Sulu style with an elliptical shape but it is not angled downwards and instead runs perpendicular to the guard. Laterversions of this generally exhibit a ridge which has been chiseled into the outer metal that surrounds both sides of the mouth hollow. The Maranao form has an elongated trunk while themouth cavity is narrow and the lower jaw runs parallel to the guard. While Sulu and Maguindanao forms have a concave cavity beneath the lower jaw, the Maranao form does not and instead has a protrusion that juts out from beneath it (Cato 1996).This example in the Schmiedt Collection is an interesting example of a high quality Maguindanao kris likely mounted in the early 20th century with silver and suasa grip bands. The silver bands are very finely chased with okir designs of classic Mindanao style while the braided wire appears to be suasa metal. The pommel is finely aged and carved with a deep patina. The straight fighting blade has a flattened oval cross section without fullers, and is inlaid with silver dots and likely Maguindanao in origin judging by the elephant trunk cavity. The blade also have a linear damascus lamellar pattern.A high quality kris of Datu level workmanship.Dates from late 19th to early 20th century.Total Length (inside scabbard if present) : 29" Blade Length : 23 3/4" 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. Krieger, H. W. (1926). The collection of primitive weapons and armor of thePhilippine islands in the United States National museum. Washington: Govt. Print.Off.5. Macao Museum of Art. (2007). History of Steel in East Asia. Macao Museum of Art.Macau6. 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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