Chinese hilt with Tibetan blade

Royston · 26th April 2008, 11:55 PM

Gentlemen,

Thanks to everyone who responded to my question about the Dao. It was good to see photographs of some others.
As a new member I hope I will not bore you all with too many questions but after 30 years of collecting I have quite a few weapons that I have never really identified. Here is another. Any help with identification will be much appreciated.

This appears to have an Imperial Chinese hilt and a Tibetan blade. It looks as though it has been together a long time but having never seen another I have often wondered whether it was made up sometime in the past.

Royston

RSWORD · 27th April 2008, 12:33 AM

Please continue to bore us with your postings.

This is an interesting sword and very hard to say if it was made for an individual or if it is a composite piece made for sale. The hilt appears to be a Chinese military pattern of the early to mid 20th century and as you mention the blade and the scabbard are pure Tibetan. I think it is interesting that there is a buffer pad as well. I do not know if there would have been any interest for Chinese military to have a sword mounted up for them in Tibet but it is possible and may have been made as a sort of trophy sword. It could very well date to Chinese occupation years. If you have had it for awhile it may be an interesting one-of made for a soldier in Tibet to bring home as a trophy rather than some arms dealer that had an unhilted Tibetan blade and scabbard and decided to add a hilt they had laying around.

Gavin Nugent · 27th April 2008, 03:16 AM

Oh please do continue with your interesting postings.

As it is a composite piece I would go say far as to say again what has been said by Dennee about a Tibet blade that I posted sometime ago, it had communist script on the scabbar but was totally traditional in style, perhaps this melding of hilt and blade is maybe what was necessary for Native Tibetans to retain there arms in time of occupation....convert to Chinese influence...hence denouncing their beliefs and influence found in their gorgeous hilts???

Gav

dennee · 27th April 2008, 04:20 PM

I recently came across a stamped Red Chinese knife blade mounted in a traditional, yet simple and modern (1950s?) Tibetan hilt.

Royston · 28th April 2008, 01:46 PM

Thanks a lot for the info. It agrees with what I had already thought. I guess if there were any more someone would have posted by now.

I should have said that I have owned this for 15 years.

Royston

26th April 2008, 11:55 PM	#1
Royston Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Poole England Posts: 443	Chinese hilt with Tibetan blade Gentlemen, Thanks to everyone who responded to my question about the Dao. It was good to see photographs of some others. As a new member I hope I will not bore you all with too many questions but after 30 years of collecting I have quite a few weapons that I have never really identified. Here is another. Any help with identification will be much appreciated. This appears to have an Imperial Chinese hilt and a Tibetan blade. It looks as though it has been together a long time but having never seen another I have often wondered whether it was made up sometime in the past. Royston Attached Images

27th April 2008, 03:16 AM	#3
Gavin Nugent Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 2,818	Yes do continue Oh please do continue with your interesting postings. As it is a composite piece I would go say far as to say again what has been said by Dennee about a Tibet blade that I posted sometime ago, it had communist script on the scabbar but was totally traditional in style, perhaps this melding of hilt and blade is maybe what was necessary for Native Tibetans to retain there arms in time of occupation....convert to Chinese influence...hence denouncing their beliefs and influence found in their gorgeous hilts??? Gav

27th April 2008, 12:33 AM	#2
RSWORD Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Greensboro, NC Posts: 1,086	Please continue to bore us with your postings. This is an interesting sword and very hard to say if it was made for an individual or if it is a composite piece made for sale. The hilt appears to be a Chinese military pattern of the early to mid 20th century and as you mention the blade and the scabbard are pure Tibetan. I think it is interesting that there is a buffer pad as well. I do not know if there would have been any interest for Chinese military to have a sword mounted up for them in Tibet but it is possible and may have been made as a sort of trophy sword. It could very well date to Chinese occupation years. If you have had it for awhile it may be an interesting one-of made for a soldier in Tibet to bring home as a trophy rather than some arms dealer that had an unhilted Tibetan blade and scabbard and decided to add a hilt they had laying around.

27th April 2008, 04:20 PM	#4
dennee Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: College Park, MD Posts: 186	I recently came across a stamped Red Chinese knife blade mounted in a traditional, yet simple and modern (1950s?) Tibetan hilt.

28th April 2008, 01:46 PM	#5
Royston Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Poole England Posts: 443	Thanks a lot for the info. It agrees with what I had already thought. I guess if there were any more someone would have posted by now. I should have said that I have owned this for 15 years. Royston