Mystery double knives - Chinese?

[harimauhk]

I have a modern pair much like them from Kashgar (in Northern China). I believe yours were most likely made in or around Kashgar too.

This is where they've been made for the last 2000 years (supposedly): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yengisar_County

[josh stout]

It is a Bao An knife made in the last 30 years or so.

(http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ighlight=baoan)

I have a single knife example that is very similar, also from Gansu that I like very much. These are solid knives from an ethnic Tibetan minority and would also likely be available in Kashgar. So while I would not say it is antique, it is very much of ethnographic interest as the product of an active knife wielding society. These were made for use
Josh

[Ren Ren]

Its modern knives from Gansu, south-western province of China.

[DaveA]

I've been a member of the forum long enough to have seen the depth of the discussions, but the archived threads never cease to astonish and delight me. Thank you Josh for the link! From there I was able to find quite a bit of useful information! There is little doubt in my mind that these are Bao An knives. For the record, here is a short description given by another member of this ethnic group:

"The formal name of Bao An people is Bonan ethnic minority group, whose home is mainly at the foot of JiShi mountain, almost at the boundary of GanSu and QingHai province . The population of Bonan ethnic minority group is about 16,505. Their local language belong to Mongolian Austronesian. Their religion is Islam. In China, Bonan ethnic minority group is famous for their man-made knives-Bonan Dao."