A Burmese dha with silver and copper koftgari

[Mark]

Here is another recent acquisition. The grip is ivory, and the pommel and ferruler are iron, which has been roughened to accept silver and copper koftgari (that really is not the right term, but the only other one I can think of is applique, which sounds like you are talking about clothing). The blade has very elaborate and detailed vegetal motifs, again in silver with copper accents. There is writing inlaid on the spine (anyone read Burmese?), and really fine koftgari next to it, and along the false edge. The blade is in excellent shape, though it has been bent and re-straighted so it is a bit warped. The scabbard is a bit worn, and is held together with bands of braided copper and silver wire that has been hammer flat. Sorry for the poor photography on these -- the weather was bad and the light worse, but I couldn't wait any longer to share.

[cylord21]

Nice, interesting and uncommon decoration on hilt and blade. Wood on scabbard has differences in color, do you think decoration is original to the sword ?. Not much to say, my mind still on the 1798 dha.

[Andrew]

Another fantastic sword! Congrats again, Mark. I'm turning various shades of green now...

We really do need to find someone who can read Burmese. Between the dha guys on this forum, we probably have dozens of swords with inscriptions that might shed some light on age, provenance, etc.

[Mark]

Originally Posted by cylord21

Nice, interesting and uncommon decoration on hilt and blade. Wood on scabbard has differences in color, do you think decoration is original to the sword ?. Not much to say, my mind still on the 1798 dha.

The scabbard may well be a replacement, since stuff rots pretty quickly in that climate, and it has a different style than the blade. I think there was an attempt to match the theme, at least, with the silver-copper combination. The difference in color is wear. The darker color is the original finish, and the lighter areas are where it has been rubbed away by handling and movement of the bands. Once I find a way to gently remove the chape (the ferrule is loose, but slightly tapered tappered so I can't slight things off the other way), I plan to restore it to an even finish.

[RhysMichael]

I can only echo Andrew's envy. Another great sword. I have never seen the style of inlay on this one before. And if the scabbard is a replacement it is certainly nice work. The blade on this one looks as if it were made to use. How does it feel in your hand ? I'll bet it has a "live" natural feel. Again congratulations

[Ian]

and I wish I had bid on it. The blade is a dandy, and the silver work is remarkably crisp.

Someone has had an early Christmas

Ian.

[Battara]

Nice puppy, and the technical word used among silversmiths and shop talk is.....inlay.

[Mark]

Originally Posted by Battara

Nice puppy, and the technical word used among silversmiths and shop talk is.....inlay.

The technique here is to roughen the whole area of the design, then hammer wire and small leaves of silver onto the roughened surface, then heat it to anneal the silver to the steel. Would this still be considered inlay? I assumed that was something that was set into an incised or chiseled design. That is the technique used to make the writing on the spine.

[wilked aka Khun Deng]

It's just not right that someone has that many exquisite blades You haven't been doing something with your soul you shouldn't have -- have you?

You bring up a good point though, I've always wondered what the diference was between inlay, kaftgari, and neillo. I was going to start a thread but I think I'll just hijack yours out of jealousy

[Rick]

Thou shall not covet thy neighbor's Dha .........

[Battara]

Mark, you are right that some of this is thick koftgari. I should have been more specific. I was refering to some of the copper and silver flowers according to what I can see of the pictures. I did not see any incised lines on the ferrule. If there are and I misssed them, then I stand (well, sit) corrected.

OOPS! Just took another close look at the ferrule and end - I think you may be right. These areas may very well be koftgari in process.

[Mark]

Yes, indeed. What they seem to have done is roughened the entire surface of the pommel and ferrule, then applied the silver and copper designs. I cannot tell if the little copper circles on the blade are set more deeply, but I think not.

[~Alaung_Hpaya~]

Originally Posted by Mark

Here is another recent acquisition. The grip is ivory, and the pommel and ferruler are iron, which has been roughened to accept silver and copper koftgari (that really is not the right term, but the only other one I can think of is applique, which sounds like you are talking about clothing). The blade has very elaborate and detailed vegetal motifs, again in silver with copper accents. There is writing inlaid on the spine (anyone read Burmese?), and really fine koftgari next to it, and along the false edge. The blade is in excellent shape, though it has been bent and re-straighted so it is a bit warped. The scabbard is a bit worn, and is held together with bands of braided copper and silver wire that has been hammer flat. Sorry for the poor photography on these -- the weather was bad and the light worse, but I couldn't wait any longer to share.

It says " saya ? or sha bo let ya " . ( I think the Saya Bo must be the name of the sword maker. Let ya means hand print = handy work of ... )

[Mark]

Thanks so much for the translation! It is interesting that the name "Bo" ("po") appears, as I have seen it on a couple other swords, but with the word "maung." I assumed it was the name of a village, but could it also be a person's name, Maung Bo?

[~Alaung_Hpaya~]

Originally Posted by Mark

Thanks so much for the translation! It is interesting that the name "Bo" ("po") appears, as I have seen it on a couple other swords, but with the word "maung." I assumed it was the name of a village, but could it also be a person's name, Maung Bo?

Maung = means younger brother ( more specifically when a woman refers to a younger male relative or indeed to a younger man ) It is also an informal title / honorifc adopted by younger Burmese men either when they address others or are themselves being addressed .


Bo= means leader is also an honorific


Confusingly honorifics are also used as parts of names whether formally or informally .

Also confusing is the Burmese habit of refering the same person by different honorifics and pet / nicknames .


eg Alaung Hpaya could be
U Aung Zeya
Ko Aung Zeya
Maung Aung Zeya
Bo Aung Zeya
Saya
Bo Gyi
maung maung
Ko Ko
Ko Zeya
Nyi Nyi
Tha Pouk

Alaung Hpaya itself is the popular "nickname " for the king ( Hpaya is derived from pali and means roughly "lord" - it has the same root as the Thai term Phra )


Placing two honorifics together is not unusual but in this case sounds clumsy.


Maung Bo would only make sense if the full name was for example Bo Let-Ya . Then he would be known by older people as Maung Bo Let-Ya . However it is most unlikely that Maung would be used on a sword or other inscription as a man is promoted to Ko ( meaning elder brother ) and subsequently to U ( meaning uncle ) with age ( no real rules but usually Ko by your twenties to everyone but older relatives and U in your thirties )

Bo Maung makes more sense . It is possible that Bo is the honorific and Maung is the name ( not uncommon especially in days bygone to have 1 syllable names )


Maung Bo as a place name is possible but again it seems more likley if the adjective was more descriptively elaborate ( eg Mokso Bo Ywa where U Aung Zeya originated lit. Widower Leader Village was changed to Shwe Bo Myo = Golden Leader Town )


Can you show me some pics ?

[Mark]

I had the one inscription wrong - it does indeed have three names. I can't find my translation of the second, so I might be mis-remembering it as well.

[~Alaung_Hpaya~]

Originally Posted by Mark

I had the one inscription wrong - it does indeed have three names. I can't find my translation of the second, so I might be mis-remembering it as well.

Maung Bo Thein is definitely a person's name ( Burmese has three tones and one variant . The Bo in that name is the third long tone like in "it's soooo not true ... " or "go " whereas Bo in leader is the middle tone like when one pronounces the letter "o" ) Bo means geat grand father or perhaps just grand . How old is that sword . The combination of syllables would hint a a name which would have been popular at the turn of the last century 1900s - 1930s . If the sword maker / owner is still alive he would be at least in his seventies .

Not sure why it is written Po in english the consonant used is definately ba a hard "b".


The second sword bears the name Maung Ba : again an old fashioned name .

[Mark]

The first sword is not one I have seen in person, so I can't say whether there is a date on it somewhere. There is none on the parts I can see in photos the owner sent me. Given the fact that it has an English transliteration, my assumption is that it is no earlier than 1826, probably more likely after 1886. But that is purely based on the assumption that pre-occupation incriptions would not have had an English transliteration.

The second one has two dates - one associated with a dedication on the scabbard to Thadi Thiri Min Hla Ye Kaung that translates to 1798 in the Western calendar, and another on a dedication on the blade itself that translates to 1919. The one on the scabbard (on the opposite side to the name Maung Bo) is on a panel separately affixed to the scabbard, while the one on the blade is in silver overlay and part of the original decoration. I am therefore inclined now to go with the later date as the more accurate one.

Another word that is transliterated into English as bo' is the title of a commander of 500 men (also tat-bo'). I have no idea which intonation that equates to, and thus whether it might relate to these dedications. The actual written form was not provided in the reference I have.

[~Alaung_Hpaya~]

Originally Posted by Mark

The first sword is not one I have seen in person, so I can't say whether there is a date on it somewhere. There is none on the parts I can see in photos the owner sent me. Given the fact that it has an English transliteration, my assumption is that it is no earlier than 1826, probably more likely after 1886. But that is purely based on the assumption that pre-occupation incriptions would not have had an English transliteration.

The second one has two dates - one associated with a dedication on the scabbard to Thadi Thiri Min Hla Ye Kaung that translates to 1798 in the Western calendar, and another on a dedication on the blade itself that translates to 1919. The one on the scabbard (on the opposite side to the name Maung Bo) is on a panel separately affixed to the scabbard, while the one on the blade is in silver overlay and part of the original decoration. I am therefore inclined now to go with the later date as the more accurate one.

Another word that is transliterated into English as bo' is the title of a commander of 500 men (also tat-bo'). I have no idea which intonation that equates to, and thus whether it might relate to these dedications. The actual written form was not provided in the reference I have.

Is it possible that the blade was refashioned and that is why the 2 dates do not correspond ? I would think it unlikely that someone would deliberately misdate it in 1912 to pass off as an antique from 1798 . I thought the concept of cherishing anything old for the purpose of making money from it is more of a modern day one .

It's also not unusual for the Burmese to reuse / salvage / recycle things . Palaces were often dismantled and reused and frequently not reassembled in the original way .

Could you show me a scan of this dedication ?

The second inscription is Maung Ba not Maung Bo . Ba is a masculine name ( meaning father ) and is old fashioned . You'll rarely see anyone younger than 60 -70 with this syllable in their name.

bo' in tat-bo' is the same bo as in leader . Tat means army or troops ( tat-ma-daw = royal army ) and tat-bo' simply means troop commander