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Nathan Robinson
myArmoury Admin
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 Posted: Fri 22 Aug, 2008 6:46 pm Post subject: Help indentify a sword I found |
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This was just mentioned in Another Topic and I was advised to make a separate post about it to see if anybody could give me further info. I've posted on Sword Forum before about it but that was several years ago and an entirely different climate. Here goes:
When I was a child, I dug this short sword / large dagger out of the dirt in my basement. It was wrapped in soiled fabric and buried under the house.
I don't know much about it. I suspect it's a Vietnam war era Filipino tourist piece.. am I close?
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Lin Robinson
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| Posted: Fri 22 Aug, 2008 6:59 pm Post subject: |
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You are dead on the mark. I have one very much like that, which I purchased from a local when stationed at Clark AB, the Phillippines, in 1969 and 1970. Negritos are aboriginals who live in that area of Luzon, the largest island in the archipelago. They made the blades from leaf springs out of jeeps and trucks. The brass trim came from shell casings and the handles from local hardwood. These things could be purchased for $5 or so when I was there and they made them in all configurations.
It is not very valuable since they were made and bought by the thousands, but it is an interesting artifact of the Vietnam era, when Clark AB was a major hub for the war effort in Southeast Asia. I was with the First Mobile Communications Group while stationed there.
The Negritos were very clever trackers and survivalists and some of them taught at the jungle survival school at Clark, which I went through. They did not get along very well with the non-aboriginal Filipinos. While I was there a leader named Laxamana was found dead near the base. The suspicion was he was murdered by some Filipinos.
There is the answer to your question.
Lin Robinson
"The best thing in life is to crush your enemies, see them driven before you and hear the lamentation of their women." Conan the Barbarian, 1982
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Jean Thibodeau
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| Posted: Fri 22 Aug, 2008 7:14 pm Post subject: |
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Well, that was fast ! Maybe a Vet. brought it back and it had some special significance to him ( I assume him !?).
Maybe if it saw some actual use by the soldier it might have been too precious to give, throw away or sell but burying it might have been a way to make peace with some hard memories ? O.K. absolutely no proof for this but finding it in a dark corner of a basement among the usual basement clutter is one thing, but that someone actually buried it means that it had some importance to the person burying it ?
Doing some research on the previous owners of the house might give a clue ?
You can easily give up your freedom. You have to fight hard to get it back!
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Nathan Robinson
myArmoury Admin
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Lin Robinson
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| Posted: Sat 23 Aug, 2008 3:21 am Post subject: |
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| Nathan Robinson wrote: | Thank you, Lin! I really appreciate the background info.
This was sold on eBay recently and is very similar to mine! |
I have to leave on a short trip in a few minutes. When I get back I will post a photo of mine.
Lin Robinson
"The best thing in life is to crush your enemies, see them driven before you and hear the lamentation of their women." Conan the Barbarian, 1982
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Lin Robinson
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| Posted: Sat 23 Aug, 2008 3:23 am Post subject: |
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| Jean Thibodeau wrote: | Well, that was fast ! Maybe a Vet. brought it back and it had some special significance to him ( I assume him !?).
Maybe if it saw some actual use by the soldier it might have been too precious to give, throw away or sell but burying it might have been a way to make peace with some hard memories ? O.K. absolutely no proof for this but finding it in a dark corner of a basement among the usual basement clutter is one thing, but that someone actually buried it means that it had some importance to the person burying it ?
Doing some research on the previous owners of the house might give a clue ? |
I don't know why someone would bury the knife, but your theory may be correct. I doubt it went to Vietnam though.
Lin Robinson
"The best thing in life is to crush your enemies, see them driven before you and hear the lamentation of their women." Conan the Barbarian, 1982
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Lin Robinson
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| Posted: Sat 23 Aug, 2008 1:29 pm Post subject: |
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Not to wear out this thread, but I did photograph my kris and a pic is attached. Nathan, yours is a bit fancier than mine in terms of the file work on the guard. As I said, they made these things in many styles and there were hundreds of Filipinos around and on the base who were making and selling them. And, all the blades I saw were quite sharp and could be used.
After reading my first post I need to make a slight correction. The way I wrote it makes it seem that the Negritos made these blades. In fact they were not the makers, the non-aboriginals made them. I was explaining what the term Negrito, engraved into your blade meant. And, of course, this is a kris, not a bolo, which is more like a machete in the configuration of the blade.
Any way, it is an interesting piece. By the way, can I inquire as to what the one listed on eBay went for, if you recall. Just wondering if I should get mine insured!
Thanks...
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Lin Robinson
"The best thing in life is to crush your enemies, see them driven before you and hear the lamentation of their women." Conan the Barbarian, 1982
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Matt E
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| Posted: Sun 24 Aug, 2008 12:56 pm Post subject: |
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We have a few of these in my family as well, they came in a lot of shapes and sizes, not worth much. I believe I have seen them sell for as little as $20
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Jean Thibodeau
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| Posted: Sun 24 Aug, 2008 8:29 pm Post subject: |
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| Matt E wrote: | | We have a few of these in my family as well, they came in a lot of shapes and sizes, not worth much. I believe I have seen them sell for as little as $20 |
Well worth is not just money as I'm sure that Nathan has a special place in his heart for his.  
Also, worth as objects or as a knives is not that low as the steel and workmanship seem very good to me ! I like the aesthetics and the fact that they seem in general to be well heat treated and that makes them more than cheap tourist stuff even if they where sold as such ! The people making them made real knives and not knife like objects.  ( This might vary by maker ).
You can easily give up your freedom. You have to fight hard to get it back!
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Nathan Robinson
myArmoury Admin
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| Posted: Sun 24 Aug, 2008 8:32 pm Post subject: |
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| Lin Robinson wrote: | | Any way, it is an interesting piece. By the way, can I inquire as to what the one listed on eBay went for, if you recall. Just wondering if I should get mine insured! |
Lin, thank you for sharing the photo of your piece! I didn't realize it had a kris blade. Yours, mine, and the one I posted from eBay are the only ones I've seen with that blade. I'm sure there are thousands out there, but I haven't been able to find any photos of them on the 'net. The others I've seen are the more traditional single-edges styles.
I think the one on eBay sold for around $150.
As Jean mentions, the value of mine comes from the memories of finding the thing as a kid and conjuring up all the wild stories and theories of its origin.
Cheers!
.:. Visit my Collection Gallery :: View my Reading List :: View my Wish List :: See Pages I Like :: Find me on Facebook .:.
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Lin Robinson
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| Posted: Mon 25 Aug, 2008 3:54 am Post subject: |
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| Nathan Robinson wrote: | I think the one on eBay sold for around $150.
As Jean mentions, the value of mine comes from the memories of finding the thing as a kid and conjuring up all the wild stories and theories of its origin.
Cheers! |
Wow...that is an amazing price, but then a lot of things are sold on Ebay for more than their actual worth. Mine is valuable to me because it is a reminder of the time I spent overseas serving my country.
The kris style blade was very common when I bought mine. Next in popularity was probably the bolo blade. They also made spears and a nasty little thing that I can only describe as a mult-barbed blade housed in a cylindrical bamboo container. As I mentioned, the steel came from leaf springs out of jeeps and trucks and was good quality. The blades all seemed to have been filed to shape.
At one time CAS Iberia carried a number of swords and a dirk that were made in the Phillippines which I thought were of excellent quality for the price. When Hanwei purchased CAS they either discontinued these or shifted the manufacture to their Dalian facility.
Slightly off this subject, but another example of an antique style weapon made in SE Asia was flintlock rilfes and pistols. When I was inThailand on temporary duty in 1971, a number of the officers stationed with me bought these pieces from locals and shipped them back to the PI in communications vans returning to base. As a lowly airman I could not afford them. They seemed well-made although I might have hesitated to shoot them, although I understand the locals used them regularly. If anyone out there has seen any of these guns I would appreciate hearing about it.
Glad to be of service in helping you get your question answered.
Lin Robinson
"The best thing in life is to crush your enemies, see them driven before you and hear the lamentation of their women." Conan the Barbarian, 1982
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Lafayette C Curtis
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| Posted: Mon 25 Aug, 2008 6:21 am Post subject: |
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| Lin Robinson wrote: | | If anyone out there has seen any of these guns I would appreciate hearing about it. |
Not quite what you're looking for, but I'm probably going to visit the Yogyakarta palace in October and I might be able to find some Javanese examples that may be somewhat related to them.
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This is a standard topic
