Assistance required identifying origin & age etc of these Dhas

Miguel · 7th March 2017, 05:18 PM

I have a couple of Dha swords one fairly plain with some silver decoration on the wooden hilt and scabbard and one completely plain.

Also I have a couple of Dha knives and would be grateful if a forum member would be good enough to identify the country of origin and approx. age of these items. I suspect that the first sword and the first knife are older than the other two.

I would also be grateful to learn of a good reference book on Dhas, preferably in English or with English translation.

Dha sword No 1:- O/L is 38 ins with a 25 ins blade.

Dha sword No 2;- O/L is 34 ins with a 22 ins blade.

Dha knife No 1:- O/L is 8 ins with a 4.5 ins blade.

Dha knife No 2:- O/L is6.75 ins with a 3.75 blade.

Thanking you in advance.
Miguel

Rick · 7th March 2017, 06:17 PM

http://dharesearch.bowditch.us/

This may help.

Miguel · 7th March 2017, 11:01 PM

Thanks Rick a great help
Miguel

fernando · 7th March 2017, 11:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Miguel

Made a mistake this was meant to be posted in Ethnographic Weapons Forum

Miguel

And so we move it

Miguel · 7th March 2017, 11:14 PM

That's what I call efficiency, thanks Fernando.
Miguel

russel · 8th March 2017, 12:16 AM

The second Dha knife (Dha hmyaung) looks to be from Burma to me.

Ian · 8th March 2017, 02:54 AM

Hi Miguel:

Your dha sword no. 1 has a fairly high hilt:blade length ratio and some nice silver work that is probably Shan in origin. I would put this one as late 19th/early 20th C. Shan or northern Thai.

Dha sword no. 2 again has a fairly high hilt:blade length ratio and is probably northern Thai/Lao in origin. Early 20th C.

Knife no. 1 with lots of silver is typical Shan work. Probably mid-20th C. or a little earlier.

Knife no. 2 with the ivory hilt is Burmese and probably late 19th C.

As far as references for dha, I have not found a good reference in 20+ years of looking. There are bits and pieces in books that deal with a wide range of material culture from mainland SE Asia, but nothing comprehensive on dha that I have come across. There is the article and pictures from the History of Steel Exhibition, and the Dha Index that Mark Bowditch put together, which has a small bibliography

Ian.

Miguel · 8th March 2017, 09:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ian

Hi Miguel:

Your dha sword no. 1 has a fairly high hilt:blade length ratio and some nice silver work that is probably Shan in origin. I would put this one as late 19th/early 20th C. Shan or northern Thai.

Dha sword no. 2 again has a fairly high hilt:blade length ratio and is probably northern Thai/Lao in origin. Early 20th C.

Knife no. 1 with lots of silver is typical Shan work. Probably mid-20th C. or a little earlier.

Knife no. 2 with the ivory hilt is Burmese and probably late 19th C.

As far as references for dha, I have not found a good reference in 20+ years of looking. There are bits and pieces in books that deal with a wide range of material culture from mainland SE Asia, but nothing comprehensive on dha that I have come across. There is the article and pictures from the History of Steel Exhibition, and the Dha Index that Mark Bowditch put together, which has a small bibliography

Ian.

Hi Ian,
Thank you for your reply for which I am most grateful. It would seem that there is a need for someone like Robert Elgood to produce a good reference book or books on the dha.
Regards
Miguel

Miguel · 8th March 2017, 09:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by russel

The second Dha knife (Dha hmyaung) looks to be from Burma to me.

Hi Russel, thanks for your reply. You and Ian are in agreement that dha knife No 2 is of Burmese origin.
Regards
Miguel

.

Ian · 9th March 2017, 09:04 PM

Hi Miguel:

After discussion with another dha collector, I think your dha number 2 is more likely Shan in origin. This appears to be one of their higher quality fighting dha. It should have an excellent and sharp blade made of high quality steel.

Ian.

Miguel · 10th March 2017, 04:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ian

Hi Miguel:

After discussion with another dha collector, I think your dha number 2 is more likely Shan in origin. This appears to be one of their higher quality fighting dha. It should have an excellent and sharp blade made of high quality steel.

Ian.

Hi Ian,

Thank you very much for this information which is much appreciated. Dha No 2 has got a nice very sharp blade, the blade on Dha No 2 is just as sharp but is not as clean.
Regards
Miguel

Nathaniel · 18th March 2017, 12:59 AM

Thanks for sharing Miguel. Lovely daab and meed. The handle fittings (pommel and small ferrule) in the 2nd one are they wood, horn or metal? Looks almost like copper?

Miguel · 19th March 2017, 04:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nathaniel

Thanks for sharing Miguel. Lovely daab and meed. The handle fittings (pommel and small ferrule) in the 2nd one are they wood, horn or metal? Looks almost like copper?

Hi Nathaniel,
Sorry for delay in reply and thank you for your comments. They are copper as you thought.
Regards
Miguel

7th March 2017, 05:18 PM	#1
Miguel Member Join Date: Jun 2015 Posts: 584	Assistance required identifying origin & age etc of these Dhas I have a couple of Dha swords one fairly plain with some silver decoration on the wooden hilt and scabbard and one completely plain. Also I have a couple of Dha knives and would be grateful if a forum member would be good enough to identify the country of origin and approx. age of these items. I suspect that the first sword and the first knife are older than the other two. I would also be grateful to learn of a good reference book on Dhas, preferably in English or with English translation. Dha sword No 1:- O/L is 38 ins with a 25 ins blade. Dha sword No 2;- O/L is 34 ins with a 22 ins blade. Dha knife No 1:- O/L is 8 ins with a 4.5 ins blade. Dha knife No 2:- O/L is6.75 ins with a 3.75 blade. Thanking you in advance. Miguel Attached Images

8th March 2017, 02:54 AM	#7
Ian Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: The Aussie Bush Posts: 4,203	Hi Miguel: Your dha sword no. 1 has a fairly high hilt:blade length ratio and some nice silver work that is probably Shan in origin. I would put this one as late 19th/early 20th C. Shan or northern Thai. Dha sword no. 2 again has a fairly high hilt:blade length ratio and is probably northern Thai/Lao in origin. Early 20th C. Knife no. 1 with lots of silver is typical Shan work. Probably mid-20th C. or a little earlier. Knife no. 2 with the ivory hilt is Burmese and probably late 19th C. As far as references for dha, I have not found a good reference in 20+ years of looking. There are bits and pieces in books that deal with a wide range of material culture from mainland SE Asia, but nothing comprehensive on dha that I have come across. There is the article and pictures from the History of Steel Exhibition, and the Dha Index that Mark Bowditch put together, which has a small bibliography Ian. Last edited by Ian; 8th March 2017 at 07:26 AM.

7th March 2017, 06:17 PM	#2
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,293	http://dharesearch.bowditch.us/ This may help.

7th March 2017, 11:01 PM	#3
Miguel Member Join Date: Jun 2015 Posts: 584	Thanks Rick a great help Miguel

7th March 2017, 11:14 PM	#5
Miguel Member Join Date: Jun 2015 Posts: 584	That's what I call efficiency, thanks Fernando. Miguel

8th March 2017, 12:16 AM	#6
russel Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Tasmania, Australia Posts: 236	The second Dha knife (Dha hmyaung) looks to be from Burma to me.

9th March 2017, 09:04 PM	#10
Ian Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: The Aussie Bush Posts: 4,203	Hi Miguel: After discussion with another dha collector, I think your dha number 2 is more likely Shan in origin. This appears to be one of their higher quality fighting dha. It should have an excellent and sharp blade made of high quality steel. Ian.

18th March 2017, 12:59 AM	#12
Nathaniel Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 865	Thanks for sharing Miguel. Lovely daab and meed. The handle fittings (pommel and small ferrule) in the 2nd one are they wood, horn or metal? Looks almost like copper?