1: Java: A short sword of the ‘pedang lurus’ type. With a straight, single-edged blade. Forged using the local pamor technique and decorated on both sides with gold inscriptions.
The round hilt is slightly curved and terminates with a short cross guard. Both parts are entirely cloaked in good sheet silver, which is luxuriously decorated with embossed leaf- and floral tendrils. The straight wooden sheath is decorated in the same fashion. Its decorations also consist of very good sheet silver, with six medallions each, embossed with leaf- and floral tendrils. The edges of the sheath are enclosed with bands of leafy tendrils and linear engravings. A wavy, projecting strip of thick silver on the bottom serves as the ‘shoe’.
A valuable, magnificent prestige weapon.
L: 50.5 cm (in total).
2: Central Java. A characteristic knife of the Minangkabau, of the ‘sewar’ type. With a slightly curved, single-edged and narrow iron blade, forged using the local pamor technique.
The wooden hilt is enveloped in a thin layer of dark water buffalo horn, as is the long, sideways projection on the sheath. The grip is in the form of a calyx, as is the smooth sheet silver that envelops it toward the bottom. Offset with a sliver ring, the silver connection to the blade displays very fine, embossed and engraved leaf- and floral tendrils.
The sheath is made of wood. Its typical long sideways projection is inlaid with dark water buffalo horn and also displays very fine embossed and engraved floral patterns along the entire top. The round sheath has bands of smooth sheet silver all around as decoration along the entire length, from just below the cut-off calyx to the silver ‘shoe’.
A very elaborately decorated magnificent prestige knife of the ‘sewar’ type. Only one minor fault (a small crack in the silver at the top of the sheath).
L: 37 cm. W: 11.6 cm (projection on the sheath).
3: Northern Sumatra, Aceh: A very small knife of the ‘rencong’ type (a knife for women?). The forged, slightly curved single-edged iron blade has a flame-like projection that was forged with it and a hexagonal connector to the upper hilt. The typical grip of this ‘recong’ is angled at almost 90 degrees and is made of black horn (water buffalo). A rare miniature form, with minor damage (blade speckled with rust, a small crack and fracture on the hilt).
L: 18 cm.
All 3 objects: First half of the 20th century or earlier. (ME) ASA

Lit.: ‘Traditional Weapons of the Indonesian Archipelago’, by Albert van Zonneveld, ill. 401, 449, 450 and 469 to 478.