RSword Antique Blades

Quality Indian dagger with robust blade and fine scabbard. This is the nicest dagger of this handle style I have ever seen. It is a large example measuring 20 1/2” in total length. The handle consists of two slab grips of mother of pearl sections with black enamel inlaid and a red enamel border. The tang band runs between these MOP slabs finishing into the bolster on one side and on the spine side it finishes with a decorative halberd shape. The pommel is a green jadeite in a beaked birdhead shape. The top has a small steel loop with a chain with silver pendent at the bottom. The blade is a khanjar shape with upswept tip. The blade has a well ground fuller along the spine and a beveled edge. The blade in very good condition with little oxidation or pitting. The scabbard, made exactly for this knife and a perfect fit, is a wood core covered in red and green velvet with decorative seams. The steel chape with floral decoration. There is a silver coin set between two gold seams with a fine pierced lanyard holding a fine chain which is wrapped around the scabbard and features a red carnelian stone set into a top and bottom bezel. A very fine Indian dagger, best of this form, in top condition and very rare top quality scabbard.

$1895

Lovely Burmese Dha Sword with Fine carved ivory grip and Buddhist Inscription on the blade. This sword measures 34 1/4” in total length when measured in its scabbard. The handle consists of a lovely carved ivory handle in high relief. You have the figure of a demon, a human and two sharp beaked birds. These figures sit amongst foliage. The depth of the carving is impressive. The human figure seems to have wings coming from his back. The pommel and ferrule are silver. The blade is more narrow at the forte and then widens towards the belly of the blade and then narrows again towards the tip. The forte of the blade has an inscription on each side in cartouche. An online translator states that the long inscription in Burmese text reads “Well-made/properly forged” or “Made strong and true”. The oval cartouche is a date which reads “year 1240 (Myanmar Era) which corresponds to roughly 1878-79. Inscriptions on Burmese Dha sword are not common especially non-story Dha blades. The spine and the blade have some additional inlays. Nice fuller on the blade. The scabbard is wood. Missing the majority of its rattan bands. A quality Burmese Dha.

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Superb near mint Burmese silver mounted Dha sword. The sword measures 32 3/4” in total length when measured in its scabbard. The handle consists of a silver ferrule, a lacquered rattan grip, and then another silver ferrule with an onion shaped, faceted pommel. The onion pommel is very solid. These are often hollow and get dented quite easily but this one is quite firm to the touch. Some minor dents and signs of wear to the silver to be expected. The blade is more narrow at the forte and then widens slightly towards the angled tip. The blade has wavy line decorations throughout with dots and circles. The thick spine is inlaid with brass. There are a couple of fullers on each side of the blade. The scabbard has a wood core and covered in a good quality silver. The decorations to the silver scabbard on both sides is quite nice. The rubber band at the top of the scabbard is holding together the silver on the cutting side. Over time, the blade has cut the silver so the rubber band holds it together to keep it from separating more. A quality Dha sword.

$1295

Quality Silver Mounted Filipino Bicol Saber. The quality silver mounts would suggest this was owned by a person of rank or wealth. It measures 30” in total length. The handle is carabao horn that is faceted and each facet with a scallop ending at the pommel. The pommel appears to be a bat head with long ears, each with some chips/minor losses. In its mouth is a one piece guard/knucklebow-shell guard. It is made of silver and features lovely scrolling vine and leaf decor. The ferrule at the base of the grip is also silver. The blade is long with a clipped point and sharp edge. There is oxidation throughout on both sides. A really nice higher end Bicol saber of the late 19th century.

$995

Filipino Mandaya Spearhead with ferrule and part shaft. This piece measures 30 1/4” in total length. The dimensions of the spearhead itself is 13 1/2” long to the end of the bolster and 2 1/2” wide. Given the shape and the size of this spearhead I believe it is Mandaya. It is unusual regardless and not a common shape or size. It has a floral decoration at the base and lines that converge into a lance tip shape towards the tip. The long bolster has a brass ferrule at the top and then nickel silver sections with brass or bronze discs. The wood section that remains is squared off at the bottom and has a single brass bands. Feels good in your hands so would make an effective hand weapon as is. Mandaya spearhead/spears are not very common. A nice and unusual Moro/Mandaya spearhead.

$495

Rare African Ivory handled dagger of the Yao tribe in Mozambique. This knife measures 13 1/4” in total length. The handle is a very large ivory tusk section. Very thick and chunky grip with two nails to each side. The grip is split on the sides for the tang and bolster to be inserted. There are a number of circle decorations throughout. The bolster is steel with a ribbed flat section next to the blade. The blade with double fullers on each side and symbols on the blade on one side near the forte. Possibly psuedo European blade markings done in imitation. The blade with some dark oxidation to each side. A few nicks along the edge. These are fairly rare. There are a number of examples referenced in the British Musuem that were field collected in the early 20th century around Mocimboa Da Praia in Portuguese East Africa, Mozambique. Likely late 19th to early 20th century.

$595

Lovely Balinese dagger with inlaid blade and huge horn handle. This knife measures 19 3/4” in total length when measured in its scabbard. The handle is a large chunk of faceted horn with lovely color and patina. Between the handle and the blade is a brass ferrule with lovely patina. The blade has a very sharp edge and on one side is a geometric pattern inlaid in brass. The spine with a long row of brass inlaid strips and then at the top of the spine near the forte is a very nice brass decoration. The plain wood scabbard with a single rattan band. One small chip to the scabbard at the mouth. Blade is a very good fit into scabbard so this one made for this blade. A fine Balinese Knife.

$495

Very nice African Manding dagger with ivory handle. This knife measures 14” in total length. The handle has a silver ferrule with an ivory grip. The ivory grip with dot in circle motif. Above that grip section are two horn spacers with an ivory disc in between. Then the pommel finishes with another ivory piece with dot in circle motif. The blade is single edged with a long false edge after a thin spine area. The blade has a forte carved into a block section with more dot and dot in circle motif. The blade with hammer marks/grinding marks to each side so wasn’t completed with a polished surface. A rare knife given the ivory handle.

$395

Nice Chinese Hudiedao sword with leather scabbard. This sword measures 21 3/8” in total length when measured in its scabbard. The bulbous handle is wood and done in a cross hatched motif which creates lots of tiny diamond shapes. Substantial and thick brass crossguard and knucklebow. There is some nice faceting at the corner of the guard and knucklebow. Very wide blade. Measures 2 1/4” wide at the base. The blade has a nice and gradual taper from there to the tip. Very sharp edges. The blade has a good bit of oxidation throughout. Well forged blade. The leather scabbard with decorative stitching at the top. The separate leather piece sewn on the top has a missing section. Also, the very bottom of the scabbard is gone so the blade pokes through there. A good quality Chinese fighting sword.

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Nice Tbilisi Georgian Kindjal with Twistcore Central Paneled Blade. This piece measures 20 5/8” in total length. The handle consists of two slabs of dark horn secured by three rivets. Two have niello silver domes on the opposite side with ace of spade shaped niello silver washers. In the center of the grip is a silver niello teardrop shaped washer. The blade is double edged with a deeply stamped makers mark at the forte with some kind of markings on the inside. In the center of the blade are double fullers with twistcore steel patterning in the recesses of the fullers. The patterns are bold and vivid, stronger on one side. Long tip that is slightly bent. An attractive and large dagger.

$650

Spanish American War Period Filipino Luzon Sword made from a file. This sword measures 24” in total length. The grip consists of two iron ferrules with a wood grip, all showing a lot of patina and age. The guard and knucklebow are made in one piece and also iron with old patina. The blade is interesting. I believe it has been forged out of a file. The entire blade has the kind of lines and look to it that suggests it was shaped out of a file. If someone had buffed the blade it would have looked quite different. These markings are too consistent and on practically every part of the blade. The resourcefulness of warriors to get materials to make blades is amazing. The edge is quite sharp on this sword. The tip has rounded with age.

$195

Borneo Dayak Mandau Sword with Nice Piso Raut. This sword measures 28 1/2” in total length when measured in its scabbard. The handle is staghorn and is extensively carved with leaches and other decorations. Has a nice braided rattan wrap along with twisted wire wrap. It is missing its organic plug at the base of the handle. The blade has nice decorations along the spine with curly Q work on the spine near the tip of the blade. The blade has some oxidation to both sides. The Piso Raut is quite nice. It is quite long with a staghorn pommel that is extensively carved and then sections of horn and wood for the handle and then a well crafted blade. The scabbard is wood with nice rattan wrap. The rattan belt loop with metal ring at the base for carrying. It also has its Palm Bark Scabbard for the Piso Raut but the rattan binding is gone so it is currently being held with a rubber band. The blade is a bit tight going in and out of the scabbard and does not insert all of the way in. A good Mandau sword with the Piso Raut adding nicely as it is often missing.

$425

Nice Moro Punal Gunong dagger. This knife measures 10” long when measured in its scabbard. The grip is lovely with a wood pommel with nice patina and a ferrule with a bulbous center piece with carved floral decoration. The ferrule and bulbous center are nickel or coin silver. The crossguard with decoration to the top. The blade is double edged and sharp with a median ridge. At the forte are carved lines with floral decoration at the center. The blade shows some signs of being laminated. The scabbard has a wood center with silver bands above and below and then the top and bottom of the scabbard have a decorative band with beaded rims and floral decoration. A nice and older punal.

$150

World War Two Period Filipino Cebu Dagger with dated leather scabbard. This knife measures 11 1/2” in total length. The handle is made of aluminum, likely aircraft scrap, with a grooved handle and the pommel shaped like a talibon dagger with a heart at the top. 3 plastic buttons are mounted on one side of the handle. The blade is quite nice. It is bowie shaped with the clipped point and features a beveled edge on both sides along with a false edge. It is quite sharp and marked Cebu P.I. on one side. Really a quality blade. The scabbard is tooled leather and is dated 1947 on one side. The front with floral decorations and the reverse side with stitchings. The scabbard does not fit the blade perfectly so may have shrunk a bit with time or is not original to the knife but it looks good and could go with it so included. The tip of the blade poked out of the bottom.

$125

This is a very rare Keris with unusual handle and blade that sports an Arabic inscription in the Malay language on the scabbard the denotes a date and location for this Keris. It measures 11 3/4” in total length when measured in its scabbard. The handle is bronze and in the form of a figure. The figure is seated, sports a humanesque face with beard and fanged teeth, is wearing some sort of sash over its shoulder that covers it back and its arms are crossed over its chest. The blade is double edged and sports a dragon with open mouth. The gangya is bronze and has floral decoration. The scabbard is made of some type of silver or nickel alloy, white metal as it is known or German Silver in some cases, with an interesting inscription on the wrangka. I was provided a partial translation that reads “Mantuan. Pendita. Adaama (???). Banjarmasin. Jamadilakhir. Hari. Sembilan. 1311. ???? tengkara (?). Dari. Pulau. Kalimantan. The rough translation into English is “Owner (?). Holyman. Adaama (??) Banjarmasin. Muslim month of Jamadilakhir. Day 9, 1311….??? tangkara (?). From Kalimantan Island.” The Arabic date translates to around 1893/1894. Likely a religious presentation given that it talks about the Holy Man. To have a Keris with an early date like this, referencing a holy man or priest, and referencing a local like Kalimantan makes this a rare and historical Keris.

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Sumatran Riau Ivory and Suassa Mounted Keris Dagger. This Keris measures 10 3/4” in total length when measured in its scabbard. The Jawa Demam style hilt is well carved of ivory and in good condition with one small chip on the extension on the back. The mendak looks to be suassa which is a gold/copper alloy. The wavy blade features a longtudianal layering type of pamor. The scabbard is completely made of ivory for all components. A lovely and very nice Keris.

$795

Very nice Sumatran Minangkabau Keris with well carved ivory handle. This Keris measures 13” in total length when measured in its scabbard. The handle is in the Jawa Demam form and is lovely for a number of reasons. The first is it has a lovely patina. The second is that most of the surface area has been carved which is an added touch. There may be an old chip in the handle where the arms cross but the patina is very good. The mendak is likely brass or bronze. It has developed a nice green patina and features carvings. The blade is wavy with shallow waves and a median ridge. The blade has a dark patina. The scabbard is very nice. It has a finely grained wood wrangka and the stem is made from a darker wood. The very bottom of the scabbard is made with the same wood as the wrangka. A very nice and complete Minangkabau Keris.

$695

Fine Sumatran Keris Dagger with Rare 21 Luk Blade. This Keris measures 13” in total length when measured in its scabbard. The Jawa Demam style handle is made from ivory and has some carvings throughout the handle. There are a couple of age cracks but the handle is solid to hold. The mendak is either copper or bronze. It has a nice patina and is well made. The blade is amazing given how many luk (waves) are forged into a blade of this size. It has a very strong median ridge and the waves are very well formed. It also has a longitudinal layering type of pamor. The scabbard is wood with brass bands with carved floral decorations. The very bottom of the scabbard is bone or ivory. A very fine Keris.

$695

Rare old Sumatran Keris dagger with fossilized elephant molar handle. This Keris measures 16 1/2” in total length when measured in its scabbard. The handle is quite rare. It is in the Jawa Demam form but made from fossilized elephant molar. The handle has a wonderful patina and is well carved. The mendak cup is made from brass or bronze and is undecorated. Strong blade which is narrower towards the forte and then widens around the middle of the blade. It sports a longitudinally layered pamor pattern. The scabbard is wood with a silver band at the top, middle and bottom of the stem. Between the top and middle stem is a braided twine that is made to look like the braided silver wire that is below it and likely a later replacement. The very bottom of the scabbard is wood. A very nice and rare Sumatran Keris.

$750

Fine Sumatran Badek dagger with ivory Parrot handle. This knife measures 8 1/4” in total length when measured in its scabbard. The handle, done in ivory, depicts a parrot head which is carved in very fine detail. The eyes are done with a black stone which contrasts nicely with the ivory. There is a silver collar just above the bolster. The slightly forward curving blade shows laminations throughout. The scabbard is quite nice as well. The top and bottom piece are made of ivory and the middle stem section is made of a finely grained wood. All in all, a quality knife.

$425

Fine Javanese Court Knife with Agate Handle and Arabic Inscribed Blade. This knife measures 5 5/8” in total length. The handle is made of finely polished agate that sports a very nice red hue with streaks of white. The mendak is brass with multi colored stones or glass. The blade takes the shape of Semar which is a popular talismanic icon in Javanese culture. Etched into the blade are several inscriptions which can be translated on one side “Ya Allah, Ya Muhammad, Ya nabi (prophet) and on the other side is a verse from the Qur’an sura 36:58 which reads “Peace (Salam) from a lord most merciful. In the Mangkunegaraan in Solo there is a display of small daggers with agate hilts that are believed to have been in the possession of female abdi dalem (court attendants). It is quite possible this knife was also used by a femal court attendant. Late 19th to early 20th century. A very nice quality knife.

$375

17th Century Dutch Marked Knife with Ceylonese Silver Mounted Scabbard. This knife measures 6 1/4” when measured in its scabbard. The knife appears to be a 17th century Dutch knife given the blade shape and the stamped marking on the blade. The blade has a thick spine that drops down to a beveled spine with a single edge. The stamp looks like a keyhole or an abstract cross. Hard to tell exactly what is the shape of the stamp. It has a detailed integrally forged bolster and then above that it has a faceted silver ferrule. The grip is also faceted and is made from bone or polished stag. There is one small chipped area but it also might be a natural area of the horn that was left in the grip scales. Nice mellow yellowish patina. The scabbard is made exactly in the form of a Piha Kaetta scabbard from Sri Lanka. It has a long silver section at the top of the scabbard with fine ribbing and other decorative features. The lower portion of the scabbard is in wood and is also ribbed. The knife fits perfectly in the scabbard. It seems made for this knife. For one reason, it is very small. I have yet to see a Piha Kaetta this small so I doubt it is from one of those knives that got paired with this knife. Second, the fit is perfect as mentioned. It accommodates the knife up to the grip without any wiggle or movement. Perhaps a Dutch knife ended up in Sri Lanka and was mounted locally. A very interesting combination and a quality knife.

$650

Sumatran Ivory Handled Keris Dagger with Silver Mounted Scabbard. This Keris measures 11 1/2” in total length when measured in its scabbard. The handle is ivory and carved in the Jawa Demam style. It has a silver mendak with decorations. The old blade shows layering with longitudinal lines throughout the blade. The blade has some pitting and shows a good bit of wear. The scabbard is quite nice. It has a wood wrangka with a wood stem with two sections of silver. The silver work has lovely floral designs carved throughout one side and then a nice chevron pattern on the opposite side. A nice little Keris.

$225

An interesting Indonesian Kudi Tranchang dagger. One of the smaller examples I have seen which is interesting. It measures 10 1/2” when measured in its scabbard. The handle is wood carved in an almost abstract way with nice curves. The blade takes the form of a Wayang, puppet figure, with the long nose and abstract appearance. The blade is of pamor with layering evidenced with the longitudinal lines. There is some fretwork along with back of the blade and a few punched holes. The scabbard is wood and made to shape of the blade with cutout on the back to accommodate the unusual blade shape. A very interesting and unusual Indonesian knife.

$125

Nice Indonesian Keris Sajen knife. This knife measures 9 1/2” in total length when measured in its scabbard. The knife is made of pamor steel with the figural handle and blade forged together. The figure with head, shoulders, arms by side and legs. The blade has a visible pamor pattern that continues into the figure. The wood scabbard nicely houses it. A very nice small Keris Sajen. These objects were used as powerful talismans for spirtual purposes. It was believed they hold magical power for protection, good fortune, etc.

$125

Nice all leather African Mandingo knife with tassels. This knife measures 12” in total length when measured in its scabbard including the tassels at the bottom of the scabbard. The Mandingo make very fine leather swords and knives and the workmanship in this piece is quite good and is likely 3rd quarter of the 20th century. The handle is leather with fine stitching of alternating light and dark colors. There is a black leather design which pairs nicely with the reddish base color. The blade is well made and sharp. It swells in the middle of the blade and then has an elongated point. The scabbard is ensuite to the handle with the red leather base, alternating rows of light, dark and red stitching and then the tassels are very nicely done. It also includes a braided leather belt loop. A very well made and attractive African knife.

$95

Interesting small Sulawesi Badek knife. This knife measures 7 1/4” when measured in its scabbard. The knife features a long pistol handle shaped grip of wood with a single edge blade. The blade is made from laminated steel and the pattern is visible in the blade upon close inspection. The scabbard is wood with simple carvings at the very top. A nice small Badek knife.

$95

Well made small Nepalese Kukri knife. This knife measures 10 1/2” in total length when measured in its scabbard. The handle consists of a horn grip with a carved divider section in the middle with two metal bands on each side of the raised section. The upper and lower sections around this raised section with inlaid metal pins. The pommel cap is brass with a lion face and the ferrule is brass. The blade is likely chrome plated, is forward curved and has twin fullers from the bend to the tip. The scabbard is leather over wood with metal mounts. The leather has some simple line carvings to the front.

$75

Interesting and unusual Asian knife. This knife measures 8” in total length when measured in its scabbard. The handle consists of a wood grip with Chinese or Asian symbols carved on each side. The pommel, ferrule and guard are brass. The double edged blade with median ridge comes to a V point. The tip has been chipped and is squared off. The edges of the blade have not been sharpened. The scabbard is brass with punched symbols throughout.

$95

Syrian Jambiya dagger with silver koftgari decoration. This knife measures 7 1/2” in total length when measured in its scabbard. The handle and scabbard are made of steel. There are two nice looking rivets to the handle. The handle and scabbard are covered on both sides with silver koftgari. The top of the scabbard has a band with two belt loops welded to the top. The curved blade with silver koftgari decoration at the forte.

$75

Small Indonesian Javanese Keris knife. This little Keris measures 8 3/4” in total length when measured in its scabbard. The handle is a dark black wood with typical Javanese style carvings and with metal mendak. The tiny blade is wavy with a silver pamor. It even features a tiny gangya. The scabbard has a nice wood wrangka with nice grain and the stem of the scabbard is brass with carvings to the front. It is very small so likely made as a Talisman.

$75

Very small well forged Keris blade. This cute little thing measures 4 1/2” in total length. The blade is very wavy and shows layering with longitudinal lines running the length of the blade. It has a separate gangya and a tiny tang. Hard to say why someone made a well crafted but such a small Keris other than it may have been a talisman.

Sold

Nice small African knife with quality leather handle and scabbard. This knife measures 10 1/2” in total length. The handle and scabbard are all leather and are very nicely worked. The scabbard has a cool ribbed section and very nice stitching. The blade is flat and double edged. It has some oxidation and a few patches of rust that would clean off with some TLC. A lovely African knife most likely of the Mandingo.

$75

Lovely Indonesian Javanese Keris Sword with Pellet Wood Scabbard. This Keris measures 20 1/2” in total length when measured in its scabbard. The handle is well carved in the typical Javanese shape and the wood is pellet wood. The mendak is an interesting one with an open wire basket look. The blade is an old one. It is thick and has a lovely pamor throughout. The scabbard is also lovely with the pellet wood forming natural dark brown spots against the light wood. It is a lovely combination. A nice Keris.

$249

Rare Borneo Sabah Kris sword with Saramanok handle and very wavy blade. This Kris measures 26 1/4” in total length when measured in its scabbard. The handle features a very rare pommel in the form of a Saramanok, a legendary bird in Filipino lore and carved from Carabao horn. The grip with alternating bands of rattan alternating between thick and chunky and thin braided strands. The ferrule at the base of the handle is silver. The 21 luk blade is lovely. Beautiful waves with a darkened zone along the edges with the center panel showing some layering. The sword is probably late 19th century while the scabbard is more 1930’s to 1940’s but nice in its own right and fits the sword well. It has a very finely grained wood with metal alloy mounts with rattan bands. There are some strips of copper at the top and bottom mounts along with a chape of copper. Reminds me of some punal scabbard treatments. The Borneo/Sabah attribution comes from the book by Karel Sirag “Drawing The Sword”. He has 3 examples shown on page 967. He refers to the pommel as a rare curled pommel but to me it looks like the Saramanok bird. One of the swords with this type of pommel had an old tag stating “sword captured of the pirates of Tawao”. Tawao is near the border of Sabah/Kalimantan. It could be that some Moro warriors found their way to this area and served aboard pirate ships or it could be this pommel form is original to Borneo. Seems to have strong Filipino influences in any case.

$695

Interesting Borneo Murut Long saber sword with layered blade. This sword measures 37 1/8” in total length when measured in its scabbard. The handle is wood with a pommel with floral decoration. The blade, with thick spine, has a gradual curve and is forged of layered steel. The laminations are bold throughout. Some minor areas of pitting and oxidation. Really nice pattern. The scabbard is wood with rattan bands towards the top and remnants of a rope baldric. There are missing rattan bands as evidenced by the outline that remains in the wood. Nice patina throughout. A nice sword.

$695

Indian dagger with stone horsehead handle and pattern welded blade. This knife measures 16 1/8” in total length when measured in its scabbard. The handle is made from stone and is black in coloration. Perhaps Basalt? It is done in the style of Khanjar handles with the curved based and the horsehead pommel. The blade is forward curving and flat on both sides. It is a stiff blade with an edge. Upon close inspection you can see laminations that are typical of a pattern welded blade. The scabbard has a wood core covered in leather with a metal chape. Circa mid 20th century.

$249

Afghan Karud dagger with leather scabbard. This knife measures 18 1/2” when measured in its scabbard. As is often found in this region the knife submerges most of the way in the scabbard with just a bit of the pommel sticking out on top. The scabbard is leather over wood with stitching to the reverse. The knife has a handle of horn, likely water buffalo or sheep, with ribbing on the grip. The slab grips are secured to the tang via 3 rivets on each side. The ferrule and bolster as well as the tang band in between the grips are steel. The blade with T-back spine with decoration on the top of the spine. The hollow ground blade finishes with a beveled edge. The point is thickened and slightly up turned. A very nice knife that is well made and dates around the middle to early 3rd quarter of the 20th century.

$175

Unusual Balinese sword with fine pamor blade. This sword is unusual in that it sports a Balinese Keris handle in the Cekah Solas style. It is finely carved and faceted in wood. The blade is a pedang blade and is forged of lovely pamor steel. The blade exhibits lovely lamellar lines the full length of the blade and from spine down to the edge. It is a really attractive blade. It is securely mounted into the handle with no wiggle. The scabbard is made for the blade and is made of two pieces of wood secured with a metal band and 2 rattan wraps. It could be a composite piece but the blade and hilt seem to have been together for a long time so it seems more likely it was a custom made piece for someone.

$395

Interesting Indonesian Pedang sword with recurved pamor blade. This sword measures 23 1/2” in total length when measured its scabbard. The handle and scabbard are a lovely brown wood with black lines which is a nice grain and gives it a nice appearance. The blade is interesting in that is is a recurved blade. The blade has a forward curve and then it curves back up in the opposite direction giving it that recurve. It is forged of pamor steel. It is a very unusual blade shape in my experience and may be based on ancient blade forms. A rare and unusual sword.

$295

Very nice Arabian Zanzibar Saif Nimcha sword. This sword measures 40” in total length. The handle is either horn or wood. It has a very deep and rich patina so difficult to determine. The nimcha style pommel is covered in a brass cap also of very lovely patina. The ferrule, knucklebow and the ring guard are all steel. The slightly curved blade, probably of European manufacture, with complex fullering. The blade with good patina. A nice and old, probably late 18th to early 19th century, Arabian Saif sword.

$695

Aboriginal Woomera Spear Thrower from Inland Western or Central Australia. This example measures 28 3/4” long and is 4 7/8” at its widest point. The top, which holds the spear, has an animal tooth with good patina and wrapped in rattan and the bottom with a roundish grip for holding. The surface of the front has line and dot carvings. The reverse is plain and you can see the lines where it has been hand carved without mechanical tools. An impressive ethnographic object dating to the late 19th to early 20th century.

$695

Very nice Indian Naga spear. This spear measures 92” in total length. It features a very nice steel spearhead of socket form with ribbed edges at the base and some line decoration at the base of the blade. Nice color and patina to the steel. The spearhead has a bit of wiggle to it. I think some of the wood has rotted or deteriorated on the inside which causes it to not have a snug fit to the pole. It will display just fine but you shouldn’t hunt wild board with it. It has 2 sections of red dyed coarse animal hair with the lowest one having the hair loose. It is missing its metal finial at the bottom. All in all, this is a nice and old Naga spear. One of the nicer ones I have seen.

$395 plus shipping/handling. Will require a special tube to ship in.

Flores Island Belida sword with rare twistcore blade. Belida swords are very scarce to begin with and to have an example with a super fine twistcore blade adds to the level of rarity for this example. The sword measures 35” in total length. The long handle is wood. There is a hollow out section on one side and a hole at the pommel. At one time there would have been some additional adornments around the handle that are now gone. The wood has a rich dark patina. There is an ivory section towards the bottom of the grip showing lovely color and patina. It sports a pewter guard and ferrule and a number of pewter inlays. Some of the inlays are missing. The blade is fantastic. It is narrow at the forte and widens towards the tip. It is forged of twistcore steel and demonstrates fine layering around the twistcore center panel. A rare sword with fine twistcore blade.

$1995

Very nice, rare set of 3 African Baule Swords with shell scabbards. These 3 are being sold as a set and offer the buyer an opportunity to acquire very good examples of these prestige knives but also a very rare diminutive or child’s example. The largest example measures 17 1/4” long when measured in its scabbard and has a scabbard that is 4 1/2” at its widest. The middle-sized example is 14” long when measured in its scabbard that is 4” at its widest. The rare small example is 9 1/2” long measured in its scabbard that is 2” at its widest. Each example is well made with fine wood handles, the middle-sized example with fine lattice work carvings and each adorned in various ways with brass tacks. All 3 have leather scabbards with red spondylus shells to the front. The smallest example the leather has pulled apart and the blade sticks out from the bottom. Each example with good blade. Each on their own represent a fine African knife and together form a wonderful collection that will display very well.

$1995

Rare published African sword empute of the Lokele. This sword is pictures on p. 214 of the book “100 African Blades from 55 Collections” by Ethan Rider. He writes:

“Short sword and sheath, empute

Lokele/So/Mba/Angba/Topoke/Genya

Democratic Republic of Congo

Late 19th Century

This empute short sword is impressive without its sheath. It has a heavy pommel made of solid iron, a wood handle wrapped in copper and brass, and a blade that is covered with incredibly precise incising. Most empute blades have no sheath, and some of the few that do have one that is slim and plain. The most elaborate empute swords come with a sheath like the one seen here: oversized and decorated with two huge iron discs. This design element is entirely unique to empute swords and is a beautiful, highly distinctive style. “

Another interesting feature of this piece is the hole at the top of the scabbard. It goes all the way through and is likely a bullet hole. No telling how that got there but what a fascinating story to know. The sword measures 16 1/2” long when measured in its scabbard. A very fine published African sword.

$1495

Interesting Timor Sword with Sundang Style handle. This sword measures 24” when it is measured in its scabbard. The handle reminds me a bit of a Malaysian sundang handle. It looks like a Kakatua bird handle. The construction is quite different though. It is made of wood with a split on each side of the lower half of the handle. The tang fits in on one side and the opposite side has a piece of metal that runs up from the ferrule. There is also a rivet on each side. The metal has some type of residue that presumably was used to help secure the handle to the tang. Has a brass ferrule and a square guard. The thin, flexible blade has a black patina with some patches of oxidation/rusting. There are quite a few nicks along the spine. Unsure what caused so many nicks in the spine of the sword. The scabbard is wood with twine wrap at the top. An unusual sword most likely of Timorese origin.

Sold

Very good African Manding dagger with scabbard. A very attractive knife that measures 13 1/8” in total length when measured in its scabbard. The handle is wood with brass bindings and a bell shaped brass pommel. The top band is missing about half of its wrap. The brass with decorations. Very intricate work in the handle. Nice clean, sharp blade with a central fuller, double edges and chiseled decorations along the central fuller. The scabbard features leather sections of brown and black color and brass bands with decorations. The very bottom of the scabbard is leather over wood. This section the wood core has broken and it moves around. It is stable when the blade is inserted. Again, very nice workmanship throughout the scabbard. All in all, a very well made knife with intricate detailed work.

Sold

African Tuareg brass handled dagger with sheath. This knife measures 15 5/8” in total length when measured in its scabbard. The handle is cast brass which features a cross design in the pommel within a diamond shaped outline with knobs on the two sides and the top. The slender grip is covered with X shaped designs. The ferrule with intricate line carvings. The double edged blade is hand hammered and likely shaped from scrap metal versus being forged. The scabbard is leather with fine stitching along the back and nice tooled decorations to the front. The leather is split on each side from the blade coming in contact as it is pulled and replaced. There is a single long leather tassel attached to the scabbard. An attractive knife.

$325

Very large and nice African Fang Sword. This is a huge example. In researching published examples most were in the 19 to 22” range and I did find one at 24”. This example, measured out of the scabbard, is 27 3/4” in total length. It sports a massive blade that is 20 1/4” long and 3 1/4” at its widest point. The handle is cylindrical with a brass pommel cap and an iron banded grip. Below this is a wood carved section and an extended wood section that sits in the open tang of the sword. It is wrapped at the base in metal wire. There is some wood loss that would have originally covered the extended metal piece at the top of the tang. The blade is massive. It is double edged with a long extended point. There are two fullers on both sides that have old black scale with the remaining portions of the blade polished out. There are some line carvings at the forte of the blade on both sides. The scabbard is some form of reptile skin over a wood core. A very attractive Fang sword of larger than normal proportions.

Sold

Fantastic African Chieftan Tebu dagger large example with wide blade. This is the nicest Tebu dagger I have seen or owned. It measures 20 3/4” in total length when measured in its scabbard. The handle has a slim grip that is covered in well worked leather that is black and brown with the mid grip of reptile skin with leather laced in between. The pommel is an iron arrowhead. The blade measures 11 7/8” long and is 2 1/2” wide at the forte. The blade has lovely geometric designs carved into it. The decoration is on both sides. The scabbard is leather with a leather armband at the top with leather tassels. The body of the scabbard is leather and ribbed. The fish tail bottom of the scabbard is covered in reptile skin. there is an old tag that states “South Africa Chieftan’s Fish Dagger”. Of course, the Tebu are found in Chad in the North of Africa. The overall quality of this piece and the size of it do indicate it was owned be a person of status and possibly a Chieftan so I can agree with that portion of the tag. A very fine Tebu dagger of great quality and size.

$525

Very small Cretan knife. This knife measures 6 1/4” in total length. The handle consists of two slabs of bone with yataghan style eared appearance with a decorated metal tang band. The small blade with some oxidation and patina. A cute small knife.

$49

Interesting small African spearhead. It measures 7 1/2” long. It is a socketed spearhead with a leaf shaped blade. The blade is 1 1/2” wide at the join of the socket and blade. Most likely is African of origin.

$25

Book Fijian Weapons and Warfare by Fergus Clunie. 1977 hardback release from the Fiji Museum. Provides historical context of the use of these weapons in Fiji. Lots of line drawings of clubs, spears and slings along with their name.

$15 On Hold

Book On Damascus Steel by Leo Figiel. 1991 book which was a prelude to the 1998 Butterfields auction of his collection. The book provides commentary around the use and forms of wootz and mechanical steel along with lots of pictures of items from his collection.

$50