Burmese Festival Dha or Tourista?

[Ian]

Hi hotspur:

The examples you describe and show are 20th C. versions of more valuable, older swords. The hilts and scabbards on the 20th C. examples are covered with copper alloy sheets (in yellow or white metal) that have been embossed with various traditional designs--the chiseling and repousse work can be quite good on some of these, but often they are low-medium grade work at best. The blades are almost always poor quality and not hardened, with koftgari work that is rather rough and low quality compared with older examples. These 20th C. versions are purely decorative items IMHO. The examples from the early part of the 20th C. (1920s and 1930s) seem better quality than later, while post WWII versions seem to be particularly poor.

Why the differences between round or more blossomed would be one.

I'm assuming you mean the pommel shapes here. These are representations of lotus buds, the lotus being of sacred importance in Buddhist traditions. AFAIK these are just stylistic differences.

Secondly whether these were meant at all for general local consumption, or entirely market pieces?

I expect the market was both domestic consumption and for foreign tourists.

Look forward to seeing your new acquisition.

Ian.

[Hotspur]

I've attached a pdf regarding some of the mythology and particularly the butterflies pertain to to the symbology. The sheet metal is indeed plated brass and the scabbard six sections of sheet joined as a tube. The design embossed is actually quite expertly joined in matching the patterns at the seam. Much like doing wallpaper. The six butterflies per side quite well centered as well, which is a good trick considering the taper of the scabbard is not uniform. The whole is indeed four feet long, which makes for a rather imposing presence.

Cheers
GC