Three Interesting Dha Swords...Origin ID Help Needed!
 

Here are three very interesting dha swords of good quality. The top one is clearly ceremonial with a beautifully carved ivory hilt and a blade of surprisingly good quality, probably early to mid 20th Century. The scabbard there is a replacement. The middle one is the heaviest dha sword I have handled, with a quality heavy, thick blade and interesting hilt composition. I AM CURIOUS ABOUT FORUM MEMBERS' IDEAS ABOUT THE POINT OF ORIGIN OF THIS ONE??? The hilt style is making me think Vietnam or Laos. The bottom one is elegant and beautifully balanced with a interesting blade "tip" to an otherwise spatula style blade. Any comment or input is appreciated.

Hi Charles. I'm very short on time right now (preparing for yet another hurricane :rolleyes: ), but I'll give you my initial impressions.


I believe the first one is Burman. That carved, pierced handle work has become familiar. The scabbard is unusual, but not unknown. I believe Ian has a very similar scabbard with a rounded chape.

I'd say the bottom one is Thai.

The middle example is, as you note, the most puzzling. I agree with the Laos/Vietnam feel to the handle. We've discussed several Laotian dha with similar handles, as well as the Vietnamese Kochin Sabers Philip presented at Timonium. The scabbard and blade look Thai to me.

I'll try to come back with more later. Nice swords, thanks for sharing!

I agree that the top one is Burmese.

The middle one is northern Thailand/Laos -- "Lan Na" (Lanna) style.

The bottom one I also agree is Thai, or rather Tai, and more specifically from northern Thailand/Eastern Burma or perhaps Yunnan; basically Shan areas.

Very cool swords. You know who to contact when you don't need them anymore. :D

He knows: me! :D ;)

hmmm. You know, i might be starting to see something in all this dha nonsense. ;)

NO! No no no NO! BAD! Dha bad! Look away, or your head will implode ... :p

THANKS guys! The top and bottom ones were not such mysteries as to their origins, but the middle one was a mystery. Thanks again for the input. I do lean towards a Laotian or Vietnamese origin, and am glad to see that I was not far off.

Any thoughts on the pointed tip of the "spatula blade"...it seems just enough to make the sword a stabber(quite sharp!), and may not be merely ornamental. You'd be hard pressed to find a better balanced dha than that one.

....now, with dhas on the brain, I am off for some 'Larb Gai'....

The way these two jokers have driven the market prices up you'd need a second mortgage to afford a decent example these days . ;) :D

Charles, it's called "hua bua", and apparantly the style dates back to the Ayutthaya period. While it has some age, I don't think your sword is quite that old, however. Similar tips appear on many Thai "priest knives".

I tend to think that stabbing ability in any dha/darb is a secondary consideration. Some are better suited to it than others, but dha are not primarily stabbing weapons. The tip on that one is probably a stylistic nod to older forms.

By the way, that's my absolute favorite of the three. :)

:( :p

You got it, Rick. I keep hoping they'll let the rest of us bid on some of the lower end, working-class dhas (not tourist, *working*). I'm okay with wood handles, brass, and rattan, but this irrational exuberance and hoarding thing is getting a bit scary. :D :D

Otherwise, Andrew, I hope you make (made?) it through the latest hurricane okay. I wonder the hua bua tip is less for stabbing and more for ripping???

F

I can only add my envy to that of the others here. Wonderful swords. Congratulations and thanks for sharing them