Important Collection of Antique Asian Arms
Lot 6:
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. Especially highquality kris for Datus, would have been made of rare materials and had blades of especially fineconstruction with lamellar steel or in some rare cases twistcore blade forms. It is possible todifferentiate between Moro kris and attribute to certain regions or ethnic groups such as theMaguindano, Sulu Moros, and Maranaos, based on the design of the blades and the fullering. Insome cases, certain types of hilts and decoration can also indicate origin. Hilts were in avariation of forms, with most hilts following a standard form with a stylized kakatua, or cockatoobird, form. However other types of hilts exist with hilts shaped as stylized horsehoofs or roundballs as well.This example in the Schmiedt Collection is an interesting example of a form called a horsehoofkris. The hilt is wrapped in copper wire and twine, and the horsehoof pommel inlaid with motherof pearl. The horsehoof is generally associated with the Sulu Sultanate, which reigned overnorth Borneo and islands in the Sulu Sea, including Basilan. The form of horsehoof where thepommel is at a strong curve to the handle is especially associated with Basilan Island. The bladeis a fine straight fighting with three fullers in a pleasing pattern, two in the lower portion of theblade, near the ganja, and one in between running the remainder of the blade.First half of 20th century.Total Length (inside scabbard if present) : 27 1/4" Blade Length : 22 3/4".Shipping of this lot is within USA ONLY, except CA and NJ. NO INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING.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. MacauDetailed condition reports are not included in this catalog. For additional information, including condition reports, please contact us at [email protected]
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