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#1 |
Member
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 456
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I just won the auction for this. The seller didn't have much to say about it other than that it was old, the grip was horn, and that it was possibly a marine saber. It's only 65cm long. Does anybody have any idea what it might actually be? I guess it's about the right length for a boarding saber and the grip does appear to be horn. I assume it's European.
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#2 |
Member
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Greensboro, NC
Posts: 1,083
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What you have are the remnants of a Vietnamese Guom sword. It has a "habaki"(? ) at the forte like you see on Asian swords. The handle material is horn and possibly eve rhino. Is the guard copper plated? Many of these had copper guards with silver decoration. This one has a steel hand guard which is a bit different but probably indicative that this is a military sword as opposed to a court sword. I would venture a guess that this sword is early to mid 19th century.
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#3 |
Member
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Greensboro, NC
Posts: 1,083
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The word I meant to say was tunkou not habaki.
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#4 |
Member
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Romania
Posts: 202
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Interesting sword.It seems to be in Asia.
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#5 |
Member
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 456
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Thanks both, it does appear to indeed be a Guom sword. I read these were influenced by French style sabers hence the somewhat European features. I looked through google for other images of Guoms and they're all far more ornate. Ornate ones are apparently more commonly found outside Vietnam because they made for better souvenirs.
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#6 |
Arms Historian
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Route 66
Posts: 9,896
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I am inclined to agree that this is indeed a guom from Vietnam, and the European style hilt corresponds expectedly to the profound French influences there. The condition of the metal suggests this is an 18th century weapon modeled on French hangers and couteau de chasse of latter 18th.
Clearly this blade has been considerably shortened, and the rounded tip suggests intent for slashing cuts. The sabre itself probably Nguyen dynasty of that period, but the shortened blade and rounded tip suggest possible connections to the establishment of a navy there under the French and around end of the century, perhaps an ersatz dirk type weapon . |
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