Thai or Burmese polearm

Emanuel · 16th October 2014, 08:50 PM

Hello,

Just picked this up at auction. A Thai or Burmese polearm.

Total length, 1.88m, roughly split 50/50 between blade and pole. I don't have it in hand yet so can't say anything about the quality of the blade.

The whole thing looks heavy duty to me though

Any thoughts or comments in this piece?

Thanks!
Emanuel

Andrew · 16th October 2014, 09:44 PM

Nice! Need to see better photos, though.

CharlesS · 16th October 2014, 10:01 PM

The rings remind me more of Vietnamese styles, but still this could very well be Thai or Burmese.

Emanuel · 16th October 2014, 10:32 PM

That's the best I can do until I pick it up Andrew. Hopefully tomorrow.

Wondering if this would qualify as a Thai ngaw.

Charles, the flimsy guard also recalled Vietnamese pieces to my mind.

Gavin Nugent · 17th October 2014, 05:11 AM

Certainly French Indo Chinese, that's more certain that Thai specific and why I didn't push the bid...the blade profile and the presence of the fuller points more to Chinese made and influenced.

Nathaniel · 17th October 2014, 05:22 AM

Congratulations Emanuel. What a nice long bladed polearm! I would lean more towards Laotian....Laos being between Thailand and Vietnam there is a blend of cultures including an heavy Chinese influence.

Nathaniel · 17th October 2014, 03:09 PM

Also a friend reminded me the one of the cross pieces Leaf pedal guard is missing and they would point up the other direction towards the tip.

Here is a example of what I'm describing:

Gavin Nugent · 17th October 2014, 06:33 PM

Personally I can not see Laos in either of those pictured.

There are certain elements with blade types, mounting of the blade, collars and other decorative factors in all pictures presented that in my opinion push this more towards the coast than towards Laos...I think you were right in your unedited post Nathaniel.

By design, especially the collar types behind the guard, it is seen on Guom and Annam great sabres...also the pin through the tang method is also a mostly Chinese influenced thing.

Despite a long history of Chinese forces in Laos especially in the 18th century and that some of the higher end silver Laos swords have a similar shaped collar, the methods of blade securing/ blade mounting seem to have remained pure resin set with supporting collars than pinned tangs in Chinese style.

There are visual references available that also show these ring supported collars as being from Annam more specifically.

Gavin

estcrh · 17th October 2014, 11:13 PM

Reminds me of a nagamaki.

16th October 2014, 08:50 PM	#1
Emanuel Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 1,242	Thai or Burmese polearm Hello, Just picked this up at auction. A Thai or Burmese polearm. Total length, 1.88m, roughly split 50/50 between blade and pole. I don't have it in hand yet so can't say anything about the quality of the blade. The whole thing looks heavy duty to me though Any thoughts or comments in this piece? Thanks! Emanuel Attached Images Last edited by Emanuel; 16th October 2014 at 10:25 PM.

17th October 2014, 05:22 AM	#6
Nathaniel Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 865	Congratulations Emanuel. What a nice long bladed polearm! I would lean more towards Laotian....Laos being between Thailand and Vietnam there is a blend of cultures including an heavy Chinese influence. Last edited by Nathaniel; 17th October 2014 at 06:04 PM.

17th October 2014, 03:09 PM	#7
Nathaniel Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 865	Also a friend reminded me the one of the cross pieces Leaf pedal guard is missing and they would point up the other direction towards the tip. Here is a example of what I'm describing: Attached Images Last edited by Nathaniel; 17th October 2014 at 06:05 PM.

17th October 2014, 11:13 PM	#9
estcrh Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: USA Posts: 1,497	Reminds me of a nagamaki. Attached Images

16th October 2014, 09:44 PM	#2
Andrew Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: USA Posts: 1,725	Nice! Need to see better photos, though.

16th October 2014, 10:01 PM	#3
CharlesS Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Greenville, NC Posts: 1,857	The rings remind me more of Vietnamese styles, but still this could very well be Thai or Burmese.

16th October 2014, 10:32 PM	#4
Emanuel Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 1,242	That's the best I can do until I pick it up Andrew. Hopefully tomorrow. Wondering if this would qualify as a Thai ngaw. Charles, the flimsy guard also recalled Vietnamese pieces to my mind.

17th October 2014, 05:11 AM	#5
Gavin Nugent Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 2,818	Certainly French Indo Chinese, that's more certain that Thai specific and why I didn't push the bid...the blade profile and the presence of the fuller points more to Chinese made and influenced.

17th October 2014, 06:33 PM	#8
Gavin Nugent Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 2,818	Personally I can not see Laos in either of those pictured. There are certain elements with blade types, mounting of the blade, collars and other decorative factors in all pictures presented that in my opinion push this more towards the coast than towards Laos...I think you were right in your unedited post Nathaniel. By design, especially the collar types behind the guard, it is seen on Guom and Annam great sabres...also the pin through the tang method is also a mostly Chinese influenced thing. Despite a long history of Chinese forces in Laos especially in the 18th century and that some of the higher end silver Laos swords have a similar shaped collar, the methods of blade securing/ blade mounting seem to have remained pure resin set with supporting collars than pinned tangs in Chinese style. There are visual references available that also show these ring supported collars as being from Annam more specifically. Gavin