Important Collection of Antique Asian Arms
Lot 7:
An interesting sword from the T’boli tribe from Cotabato, Southern Mindanao, Philippines. T’boli swords rarely take the form of the Moro barong but this sword is aninteresting cross-cultural amalgam with a barong blade and handle showing a barong form butcomposed in the T’Boli bronze casting tradition as opposed to the use of natural materials morecommon to other Moro barongs. The hilt is of solid cast bronze or brass picked out with bands ofdetailing, the whole edge of the pommel area is applied with half hemispherical links wherebrass chains may have been suspended.T’boli lost wax brass casting tradition is a long standing and distinctive tradition thatdistinguishes them amongst the people of the Philippines. The T’boli’s brass casting tradition, which they call kem tau temwel is taught to children at a young age or from older casters called(the tau temwel). The traditional T’boli brass casting method involves several steps, tools, andmaterials following in the lost wax method known in many cultures around the world. There’sclay, which is dug from the earth. The clay will become the mold for the final product. The brassmaker also uses beeswax, which is collected from the forest and is shaped into the form of thebrass object. Then there’s the brass itself, which is obtained from a metalsmith or a metalshop.The brass caster first forms the beeswax into the shape of the object and covers it with clay.The clay is then placed in a fire pit where it hardens (modern methods make use of a smallblowtorch to harden the clay). The brass is then melted and poured into the clay mold. The hotliquid melts the beeswax inside, allowing the brass to take up the space and form into shape. Thebrass caster lets the brass solidify. The clay mold is allowed to cool, with the brass castersubmerging it in water for a few minutes. Then the mold is opened and the brass object releasedfrom the mold and finished forus.While this barong is distinctive in its form among T’Boli weapons, generally the edged weaponsof the T’boli include two types of swords called tok and kafilan. Metal smiths recycle old brokengongs or other metal objects and use outside sources of steel (for example, scavenging the steelsprings from abandoned trucks). Blades are forged with skill and are heat-treated. Late 19th Century.Total Length (inside scabbard if present) : 17 1/4" Blade Length : 12 1/4"References:1. Krieger, H. (1926) The Collection of Primitive Weapons and Armor of the PhilippineIslands in the United States National Museum. Smithsonian Institution; United StatesNational Museum, Bulletin 1372. Macau Museum of Art. (2007). History of Steel in Eastern Asiaâ€â€œA View on theDevelopment of Weaponry. Macau Museum of Art.Detailed condition reports are not included in this catalog. For additional information, including condition reports, please contact us at [email protected]
Share this lot:
