What makes this a "Manchurian dao"? I can see the resemblance between the examples, but I had not seen that designation before. They are interesting in their similarities, given that most oxtails do not have scabbards and tend to be somewhat varied in appearance given their use outside the regular military. Was there a particular Manchu militia group that used them, or is this more of a collectors designation regarding a recognizable type?
They all look like somewhat late examples. The scabbards made from leather wrapped with wire all look post 1900 to me, and the technique certainly continues into the Republican period. I find such nice examples difficult to date sometimes because i am used to very obvious signs of age, but my guess for a date would be 1900 through the mid thirties.
Josh
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