Very First Sword

Andrew · 29th January 2013, 04:12 PM

No pics of my first sword, as I have a long, embarrassing history involving wall-hangers and gunto, all of which have been discarded or liquidated to support my current habits.

However, here are my first two dha/daab/dah. The pewter mounted daab is Northern Thai/Southern Yunnan (note the Chinese motifs). It was incorrectly identified on eBay as a "Thai naginata" and I picked it up for a song. Very fine blade, good age, exceptional balance--still one of my very favorite swords "in the hand."

The brass mounted daab is also Thai, quite small, with a solid blade and a Thai penny last used in, I believe, 1935 (but undated) mounted as a pommel cap.

Spunjer · 29th January 2013, 08:47 PM

thanks for posting your dah, Andrew!

this is one of my biggest regret; not saving this particular kalis. i kinda wish i still have it. i saw it on ebay once (after selling it). i should've snagged it then.

c"mon, guys.. i'm pretty sure there are pictures of you very first one in your computer file somewhere..

Andrew · 29th January 2013, 08:51 PM

Still have both of these, Ron. And they're still two of my favorites, and two of the best purchases I've made on eBay--my recollection is I paid US$180 for the larger, US$90 for the smaller.

Better pics:

Sajen · 29th January 2013, 10:00 PM

Nice idea Ron. I start my collection with this two keris from Madura in 1992 and still keep them.

laEspadaAncha · 29th January 2013, 10:10 PM

My very first sword was a swap meet replica I bought with allowance money when I was all of 9-10 years old... it lasted about a month before it broke while "fighting" with a friend (in the eternal battle between fake swords and metal trash can lids, score one for the lids). And while I most definitely don't have any photos of it, I do have a photo of where it is...

My first sword's final resting place, the Miramar Landfill:

Spunjer · 29th January 2013, 11:41 PM

Lol, rest in peace, laespadaancha's first sword..
Good job on still having your first pieces, Detlef. You can actually see how far your taste have come.
But then again, i never had a say on my first one..

Maurice · 30th January 2013, 10:59 AM

Unfotunately my computer crashed a few years ago.
So my earliest photo's are all gone.
It was a Javanese golok, which I bought for my own training.....
My second one was a terrible touristic mandau! Wouldn't dare to put images here even if I still had any of it....

VVV · 30th January 2013, 11:57 AM

My first sword was a 18th C Japanese wakizashi that my father bought from my Kendo teacher when I was a young teenager. Later I gave it to my brother who still has it together with his collection of mostly Chinese swords. Once I put my boy's room at fire when I was cleaning it with petrol and smoking at the same time...

Michael

29th January 2013, 04:12 PM	#1
Andrew Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: USA Posts: 1,725	No pics of my first sword, as I have a long, embarrassing history involving wall-hangers and gunto, all of which have been discarded or liquidated to support my current habits. However, here are my first two dha/daab/dah. The pewter mounted daab is Northern Thai/Southern Yunnan (note the Chinese motifs). It was incorrectly identified on eBay as a "Thai naginata" and I picked it up for a song. Very fine blade, good age, exceptional balance--still one of my very favorite swords "in the hand." The brass mounted daab is also Thai, quite small, with a solid blade and a Thai penny last used in, I believe, 1935 (but undated) mounted as a pommel cap. Attached Images

29th January 2013, 08:51 PM	#3
Andrew Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: USA Posts: 1,725	Still have both of these, Ron. And they're still two of my favorites, and two of the best purchases I've made on eBay--my recollection is I paid US$180 for the larger, US$90 for the smaller. Better pics: Attached Images

29th January 2013, 10:00 PM	#4
Sajen Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Germany, Dortmund Posts: 9,270	Nice idea Ron. I start my collection with this two keris from Madura in 1992 and still keep them. Attached Images

29th January 2013, 10:10 PM	#5
laEspadaAncha Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 608	My very first sword was a swap meet replica I bought with allowance money when I was all of 9-10 years old... it lasted about a month before it broke while "fighting" with a friend (in the eternal battle between fake swords and metal trash can lids, score one for the lids). And while I most definitely don't have any photos of it, I do have a photo of where it is... My first sword's final resting place, the Miramar Landfill: Attached Images

29th January 2013, 08:47 PM	#2
Spunjer Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Witness Protection Program Posts: 1,730	thanks for posting your dah, Andrew! this is one of my biggest regret; not saving this particular kalis. i kinda wish i still have it. i saw it on ebay once (after selling it). i should've snagged it then. c"mon, guys.. i'm pretty sure there are pictures of you very first one in your computer file somewhere..

29th January 2013, 11:41 PM	#6
Spunjer Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Witness Protection Program Posts: 1,730	Lol, rest in peace, laespadaancha's first sword.. Good job on still having your first pieces, Detlef. You can actually see how far your taste have come. But then again, i never had a say on my first one..

30th January 2013, 10:59 AM	#7
Maurice Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 1,456	Unfotunately my computer crashed a few years ago. So my earliest photo's are all gone. It was a Javanese golok, which I bought for my own training..... My second one was a terrible touristic mandau! Wouldn't dare to put images here even if I still had any of it....

30th January 2013, 11:57 AM	#8
VVV Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Sweden Posts: 1,637	My first sword was a 18th C Japanese wakizashi that my father bought from my Kendo teacher when I was a young teenager. Later I gave it to my brother who still has it together with his collection of mostly Chinese swords. Once I put my boy's room at fire when I was cleaning it with petrol and smoking at the same time... Michael