A heavy fighting Laos daab

Iain · 2nd August 2021, 12:37 PM

A recent acquisition some might enjoy seeing. This is a heavy fighting sword from either Laos (the hilt type is often associated with the general Vientiane region) or just across the border in Thailand.

This is a heavy duty blade with a very thick spine of around 12mm at the base of the spine. Its also a heavy sword a typical long shan dha I have is 491g while this is 915g. The weight is of course in part due to the brass fittings, but also due to the amount of resin inside, the pommel has some damage (likely a weak spot in the original lost wax casting) which is a shame but it allows us to see the construction method and it still displays nicely from one side. The overall impression this sword gives is of something extremely balanced but much "heavier" than most daab/dha.

The grip likely originally had lacquered wire, but I have a feeling this was remove with some regularity by European collectors as it deteriorated.

Finally, I'm showing it with a small daab of the same hilt type I showed in a previous thread. They are a nicely matched pair and of a similar age.

2nd August 2021, 12:37 PM	#1
Iain Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Olomouc Posts: 1,693	A heavy fighting Laos daab A recent acquisition some might enjoy seeing. This is a heavy fighting sword from either Laos (the hilt type is often associated with the general Vientiane region) or just across the border in Thailand. This is a heavy duty blade with a very thick spine of around 12mm at the base of the spine. Its also a heavy sword a typical long shan dha I have is 491g while this is 915g. The weight is of course in part due to the brass fittings, but also due to the amount of resin inside, the pommel has some damage (likely a weak spot in the original lost wax casting) which is a shame but it allows us to see the construction method and it still displays nicely from one side. The overall impression this sword gives is of something extremely balanced but much "heavier" than most daab/dha. The grip likely originally had lacquered wire, but I have a feeling this was remove with some regularity by European collectors as it deteriorated. Finally, I'm showing it with a small daab of the same hilt type I showed in a previous thread. They are a nicely matched pair and of a similar age. Attached Images