What is this?

[Ian]

Puff:

Thanks for those pictures. Another set of styles to "label" and locate geographically. Would you agree that the single (as opposed to two-ended) ferrule on these knives seems fairly typical of N.Thai work, extending east to Laos and Vitenam, south into Cambodia, and a little west into parts of the Shan States.

Throughout much of the Shan States, elsewhere in Burma, and northwest to Assam we seem to see twin ferrules as fairly standard fittings on the hilts of many weapons.

Ian.