20th C. Dayak Mandau Steel Sword w/ Sheath & Bone Hilt

Southeast Asia, Indonesia, Borneo, Central Kalimantan, Dayak peoples, ca. first half of the 20th century CE. A fine Mandau headhunter's sword with an abstract zoomorphic hilt carved from dugong bone. The hilt features protruding tufts of brown hair above tightly wrapped rattan fibers. The forged steel blade has a thick spine adorned with hammered crescent motifs, a sharpened edge that curves gently down the profile, and openwork loops and hooks along the lower half of the spine. The sheath is composed of two wooden planks bound with thick rattan fibers, and the front bears intricate foliate motifs. A slender Pisau knife rests within a shorter sheath attached behind the larger sheath and has a braided strap handle strung through the top. Size (w/ sheath): 3.25" W x 28.25" H (8.3 cm x 71.8 cm); (length of blade): 18.375" L (46.7 cm)

Provenance: private J.H. collection, Beaverton, Oregon, USA, acquired in September 2006; ex-private Batesville, Arkansas, USA collection

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#151934
Condition Report: Adhesive residue from old repair visible on base of handle. Minor abrasions to sheaths, handle base, blade, and Pisau knife, with light softening to some finer details, and light encrustations. Nice patina throughout.