A Rare Piso Chenangkas

  • A Rare Piso Chenangkas

  • A Rare Piso Chenangkas

  • A Rare Piso Chenangkas

  • A Rare Piso Chenangkas

  • A Rare Piso Chenangkas

  • A Rare Piso Chenangkas

  • A Rare Piso Chenangkas

A Rare Piso Chenangkas
Bruneian Sultanate (Sarawak, Malaysia) - Aceh Sultanate (North Sumatra, Indonesia)
Late 18th - Early 19th century
Steel
Blade: 68,6cm
Hilt & Blade: 81,3cm
Hilt, Blade, Sheath: - (cm)
Collection Date: 2021
Collection Number: 251

Ex. Rick Stroud (RSWORD): Raleigh, North Carolina, USA (2021)

  • An early sword known by collectors as a piso chenangkas from modern-day Malaysia that historically could be found in neighboring areas such as Aceh and Borneo during the ruling Sultanates. Their form originates from 16th - 17th century South Indian Hindu talwars and patissa from early Indian Sea trade in previous centuries that established these pommel cup forms in the Malay Archipelago.

    The straight double- edged steel blade has a rich deep black patina with two shallow fullers that follow almost the entirety of the blade. Faint hints of laminations can be seen pointing to a local manufacture. It's likely a copy of early European blades. The blade is thin and quite flexible with an extended ring and vibration after tapping. Steel hilt of rich dark patina with reverse cup shape pommel.

    A rare old sword not often encountered. This one having considerable age. Likely from the late 18th to the early 19th century. More elegant examples are silver hilted.

    Photo 7: Batak Warriors, 1870.