Important Collection of Antique Asian Arms
Lot 258:
A rare sword of the Nias islands near Sumatra, this sword is called a balato and is of the classic balato form but with the distinctive carved hilt in the form of a dragonhead called a lasara. This relatively typical balato has a form that closely follows the design of the lasara (dragon head) hilt and which can be seen illustrated in Modigliani (1890) and Fischer (1909). While the classic balato is considered to be a traditional headhunters sword the more common domestic knife of the Nias takes a similar form. The headhunters swords are distinguished by their longer blades, such as this example. The blades are generally not laminated and can have various forms, the common factors are: a single edge that starts only a few centimeters from the hilt and more or less widening to the point. The lasara carved hilts are found in varying degrees of quality with earlier examples being distinguished primarily by patina of usage on the wooden handles, and sometimes earlier and more distinctive handle shapes, some of which can be found in the Schmiedt Collection. The lasara form itself has been identified as multiple types of creatures including a law’ bird (Horner 1849); nibawa law, an animal whose function is to increase the strength of the sabre’s owner (Schrader 1917); boar’s head (Modigliani 1890); but also potentially as a naga or Hindu Javanese sea serpent (Viaro 2001). The Schmiedt Collection example has a well carved handle with the lasara form carved into the face of the pommel of the hilt and with a small creature sitting astride the back of the lasara called a bechu zocha, a spirit who hunts and feeds on men’s shadows, just as men feed on pigs. This image can be regarded as a talisman working against the misfortunes that the bechu zocha spirit would ordinarily bring (Brenner-Felsach 1998). This hilt form is called niobawa lawolo and is the most frequent type of hilt found and comes in a variety of forms from more realistic to abstract forms (Van Zonneveld 2001). The scabbard is of two pieces of wood secured with strips of brass, while the talismanic basket, raga ifoboaya, at the top of the scabbard is of classic shape formed of woven rattan. The basket is decorated with animal teeth and what appear to be teeth made of wood, another telltale 20th century element, in a curved form. The blade now with pitting from age. Balato are difficult to date accurately, but considering the style of carving of the hilt, the oversized proportions of the bekhu figure, the use of wood for the charm basket, this example likely dates to the first half of the 20th century. Total Length (inside scabbard if present) : 27" Blade Length : 17 3/4" Comparable auction sales:1. https://www.christies.com/lotfinder/lot_details/?intobjectid=50058342. https://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/2014/collection-murray-frum-oceanie-pf1438/lot.45.html3. https://www.sothebys.com/es/auctions/ecatalogue/2012/art-dafrique-et-docanie-pf1218/lot.32.html4. https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/24872/lot/72/5. https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/20973/lot/3230/References:1. Van Zonneveld, A.G. (2001) Traditional Weapons of the Indonesian Archipelago. Leiden: Art Books2. Viaro, M. A. (2001). Ceremonial sabres of nias headhunters in indonesia. Arts Et Cultures, 3, 150-171.3. Fischer, H.W. (1909) Katalog des ethnographischen Reichsmuseums- Die Inseln ringsum Sumatra, (vol. 4, Leiden)4. Modigiliani, E. (1890) Un viaggio a Nias.5. Brenner-Felsach, Joachim Freiherr von. Eine Reise nach Nias, die Indonesienexpedition 1887, edited by Reinhold Mittersakschmller, 171-75. Vienna: 19986. Schroder, E. E.W. S. Nias: Ethnographische, geographische en historische Aanteekeningen en Studin. 2 vols. Leiden: Brill, 1917.7. Horner, Johann Jakob. Batoe-Eilanden, ten Westen van Sumatra gelegen. In Tijdschrift voor Neerlands Indie. Batavia, 1840.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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