The sword of the Sundanese people of the Preanger highlands.

Sheathed 67.1 cm
Sword 63.9 cm
51 cm
Base 7 mm
Middle 3 mm
5 cm from tip 2 mm
Base 31.5 mm
Middle 22 mm
5 cm from tip 15.5 mm
329 grams
6.8 cm from hilt
Iron, steel, silver, wood, resin
Description
An interesting gobang sword from the Preanger Highlands, known locally as Parahyangan, the heartland of Sundanese culture. It utilizes an old Dutch V.O.C. blade of the houwer type, a short saber with a single dorsal fuller that was carried by crews aboard ships. The blade is marked with the V.O.C. monogram and A for the Amsterdam chapter, and the year 1769.
The hilt is in the typical style of Preanger swords as popular up to around the mid 19th century; a facetted grip, slightly flaring out and with a bend near the end. It is covered with silver and is tastefully engraved.
The wooden scabbard retains its original mouthpiece but has lots the characteristic widening endpiece which is replaced by a smooth chape, probably in relatively recent times. It was probably once covered with narrow rattan binding, now lost.


















A chiseled iron sword guard depicting a Dutch ship with a figure on its stern.
Presented by the local Dai nobility to a British customs officer in 1936.
Chiseled with a rare type of decor on the base, and with two Islamic inscriptions.