A Very Nice Dha/Daab

[CharlesS]

Here is a lovely old 19th Century dha/daab sword that I attribute to the Shan of Burma, or possibly Thailand. It is a lovely piece overall, but the silversmithing of the mounts is just magnificent. It's the best quality of silver work I have seen on a Burmese sword. The hilt's pommel cap or finial is beautifully done, as is each of the mounts. Even each silver band, which would typically be plain silver, is heavily and delicately worked. The silver is pure, heavy, and thick. Note also the silver locket which is rather rare. The blade is tempered halfway through its width. It is a heavy, thick blade with a very narrow, almost negligible, fuller towards the spine. While this sword could absolutely be a fighting piece based on the quality of the blade, I have to think it was primarily for dress wear due to such elegant mounts.