Interesting DHA
 

Not sure if you're allowed to post items that dealers are selling???? if not then please delete this.

I came across an interesting Dha this dealer has for sale. http://www.joesalter.com/

Item #2014

The scabbard has a lengthy 1941 dated presentation inscription from a deputy commissioner to the Headman of Insein Township for his assistance in revenue collection and assistance to police.

The dealers site has a lot of photos of it. Thought if the inscription is contemporary to the Dha this may aid in identifying similar unmarked Dha's.

Best regards,

Jeff

Hi Jeff:

Interesting avatar you have.

This is a presentation Burmese dha from the first half of the 20th C. It resembles a type that is referrred to as "temple dha," and appears to have had no martial significance. The blades are usually not sharp, and often of low quality. This example seems to have better than average inlay along the blade. The style of inlay is a form of kaftgari, with a series of many fine linear engravings along the blade into which are beaten the designs in fine wire (copper, silver, bronze, etc.). The vine and leaf pattern seen on this blade is common on Burmese dha.

Ian.

Hi stenotab. Welcome to the forum.

I agree with Ian: the most interesting thing about this sword is the inscription. In fact, I recall a similar inscription on one of Ian's swords. It was almost one of mine. :p

I've removed your avatar, as it doesn't comply with the forum rules:

Andrew

I've seen several of these recently. This one is different than the others I've seen in that it doesn't have the figures and script inserted in the koftgari that you normally find in a "story dha" but Andrew has more experience than I with these. Just this past trip in Thailand I found three in the markets of Bangkok, two completely silver and one with silver fittings on a wood scabbard, however all had the same general text on the inscription "... for revenue collection...." which leads me to believe these were handed out by the colonial goverment as rewards. Nice piece but overpriced for the condition.