Eunjangdo
 

Hello,

recently this small dagger was sold by ebay. It was described as woman dagger from Korea, eunjangdo.
Would like to read your opinion about this dagger and get some more informations about this kind of dagger.

Regards,

Detlef

I agree with the description. That said, there appear to be some condition issues on the blade. I'm a little puzzled by the changes of wood color under the metalwork.

My understanding is its intended purpose was for a woman to defend her honor, in a society where a woman's place was defined by strongly Confucian values.

Best,

F

Thanks a lot Fearn! :)

Interesting! Always cool to see something I've never seen before! Thanks for sharing!

Hi Nathaniel, I am with you, also never have seen a dagger like this before so I am seeking for informations. ;)

Regards,

Detlef

I have played the ebay gamble and win yesterday this one: http://www.ebay.com/itm/290700845009...84.m1439.l2649

What do you think about?

Regards,

Detlef

Sajen

You won yourself a nice puukko.

Congrats

Lew

Lew,

I think and hoped that it is an eunjangdo. :shrug: See for comparison the example in up. Maybe not so fancy like the one in up but I think that by this one I can be sure that it is authentic. And i like the well worked small blade with the mark.

Regards,

Detlef

Detlef

You can see one on Kellams website. It's listed under fixed blades.

http://www.kellamknives.com/index.ph...roducts_id=852

I am puzzled by the arabic(?) markings. Was it common on puukkos?

Hello Lew,

they are indeed very similar! :) But look for example this pictures I found in the net. By the group picture look special the one in complete down on the right.

Regards,

Detlef

This markings are also to seen by one which is actually for selling in the moment so I can't post pictures but will do when the auction is ended.

Regards,

Detlef

I'm rather convinced this is not a puukko. If it was a puukko you would have also a nice catch.

But the blade is different to that of the puukko or other scandinavian knives. Also the dress is a bit different. I can understand that Lew is seeing a puukko, but the difference in the dress is the metal strip or clip on the backside of the scabbard on wich the ring is attached. I've never seen something like that on scandinavian knives or puukkos.

The marking i don't know. Arabic? Maybe, but could also be an old asian language. As far as i know it is certainly not common on the puukko.

Hello Henk,

agree with all you have written. And I am with you that I don't think that is an arabic writing. Would be nice to read what our arabic friends will say about this. :)

Regards,

Detlef

You learn something new every day that's what I love about the forum :).

I agree absolutely with you Lew :)

This is the reason why I love to be a member here! ;) :D

Here's my one-and-only eunjangdo. Horn grip and scabbard, with silver(?) mounts. Unfortunately missing the mount over the underside and tip of the scabbard. It's very thin; the blade is 2.35 mm thick at the hilt, and the grip is 6.5 mm thick. The other side of the blade is flat.

I'm told by Koreans that these are, in terms of knife-use, purely suicide/self-defense knives (either being seen as acceptable for rape prevention), rather than being used for any kind of everyday utility tasks. Primarily for suicide, but killing the attacker would not be seen as dishonorable. For upper-class women only. Whether that means nobility or nobility + yangban (i.e., Korean gentry), I don't know, but I think the latter.

It also functioned as decoration and, more importantly, an indicator of class.

Hello Timo,

thank you for sharing the pictures of your nice example as well the further informations.

Here one which was sold recently by ebay but I believe that this one is not very old but a nice looking one with a similar mark at the blade. Grip and scabbard from white horn.

Regards,

Detlef

I have concerns about the 'antiquity' of many of these pieces .

'Vintage' as a word covers a very wide swath .. :shrug:

Hello Rick,

agree with you. The one I buy seems to be purchased from a american vet who fight in the Korea War. The seller told me like this and he have sold some other Korea items recently. So when my one is from this time it isn't antique. And the pictures don't show the age so I have to wait until I have it in my hands. Will post pictures when I have received it.

Regards,

Detlef

They still make these, and jangdo in general (jangdo = decorated knife, eunjango = silver decorated knife). Jangdo also includes knives for men (which can be much larger than the tiny women's eunjangdo), and eating/utility knives.

Some of them are of very high quality, with high prices to match. The modern cruder ones might be the cheap version. So not fakes as such, but modern costume pieces.

Up to the Japanese colonisation, these were everyday wear (for the appropriate classes).

Thank you Timo, I think this thread is now very informative about this knifes. So i think when I see nice ones I will post them here.

Here one just ended by ebay but wasn't sold.

Regards,

Detlef

Here is one rather like the one in post #6. Simple compared to the fancier ones in this thread. The "inscription" on the blade is the same as the ones in posts #6 and #19.

Hi
very fancy knife,
but the writting is what ever you want ... as language :p
except ... Arabic :shrug:

all the best

à +

Dom

Hello Timo,

is it yours? When yes, can you post better pictures from the writing on the blade?

Regards,

Detlef

Hi Dom,

think that it will be korean writing. :shrug:

Regards,

Detlef

Yes, mine. A picture good enough to see it clearly will require a visit to a better camera than mine (even if mine cooperates and focusses, I don't think it will be clear enough). Will see if I can get a better one.

Essentially, the same as the other ones. I don't know what it means. It isn't recognised as writing by (typical modern) Koreans. If it is a script, it is probably
Siddham, a Sanskrit-derived script still used for Buddhist inscriptions in East Asia (called "Bonji" in Japan).

AFAIK, old Korean weapons are very rare. Thus, sudden appearance of large number of them on e-bay, all belonging to the same subgroup ( women's dagger), many with identical markings makes me think you know what:-)

Of course I can only speak for the one I have had (I have resell it again), it was definitely used and old, the signs of wear told me this.

Regards,

Detlef

The "large number" looks rather small to me. Also, the ones I see aren't identical. I don't think they're all very old (where "very" would be late 19th century, before the Japan takeover). These are still made; worn on special occasions rather than everyday wear for upper-class women, but still made to be worn. (Traditional dress is widely owned in Korea, though accessories like this are less common than the basic hanbok (set of traditional clothes).)

I'd expect to see very, very few from before the late 19th century, moderate numbers from the late 19th, few from the Japanese colonial period, and plenty from after independence (from Japanese rule, 1945). The newer ones won't be sold as antique except as fakes. The good new ones sell for more than most antique ones; I have seen some new ones advertised as antique at very high prices.

A comparison with puukkos is appropriate (both considering the above discussion about them, and them providing a functional comparison): a traditional design, still made, still sold new.

I'd guess my newest one to be 20th century, post 1945 (it was described as 19th century, possibly British - I don't believe either).

As far as being "weapons" goes, these are more dress accessories. But old Korean knives of all types are hard to find (I did find an old Korean kitchen knife - also mis-labelled.)

A further thought: I think that the cruder ones (like my new one) are almost all, if not completely all, modern (post Japanese colonial period, or possibly during it). These are originally (pre-Japanese colonial period) strictly upper-class items - quality matters in this case.

On the other hand, these were probably illegal for lower classes to wear, so it wasn't necessary to have a fancy one to show that one was upper class, just to have one. But on the other other hand, what impoverished upper class family wants to display their impoverishment so publicly? Thus, I think they are recent, after the old class system disappeared.

Some better pictures of mine, showing the inscription. I don't know why way the inscription is mean to be read. I think with the point of the blade up.

By your better pictures you can see that this knife have had a "life" before. Nice one, I like it :)

hello, i am new to this forum.

i would like to know if this knife i have is an eunjangdo (korean lady dagger).

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/attach...id=98525&stc=1

if it is (which i am pretty sure) then how old do you think it is?

the metal is unlikely silver i think.

i also think there is a hook missing (usually these have hooks to tie to clothes or put a string through so as to hang around the neck.

any comments would be most appreciated.

regards
richard tomlinson