very strange jian

[josh stout]

I saw this one go up from a dealer who mixes real things with fake, and was intrigued. It is a form of jian I have never seen before, which automatically makes me suspicious, but the age looked genuine. I asked some knowledgeable friends about it, and they say it is not a fake, but rather a form of not uncommon Southern Chinese Republican jian with a deliberately damaged blade. The cuts were made for decoration during the period where an old chang jian was considered worthless and in need of some extra decoration. I don't think any modern dealer would do such a thing.

Anyway, it a new type for me, and thought some others should see it before the ebay pictures disappear.
Josh

http://cgi.ebay.com/Authentic-Antiqu...QQcmdZViewItem