Bhutan Dagger?

[DaveA]

Hello all,

Here is the second of a few recent acquisitions. I welcome your comments!

I believe this to be a short sword from Bhutan, although the type is reported to be found also in southern and eastern Tibet (Tibet Autonomous Region of PRC, just north of Bhutan).

The hilt and pommel of this sword bear a strong resemblance to one collected by General Sir James R L Macdonald in an expedition to Tibet in 1903-1904. See the picture attached here which is a screen shot from "Warriors of the Himalayas: Rediscovering the Arms and Armor of Tibet" By Donald J. LaRocca (beautiful book).

The pommel is of distinctive design with lozenge/saddle shape, with intricate pierced, embossed and engraved designs on guilded silver. The gilt remaining is only recognizable under a magnifying glass. On one side, the carved and pierced design is honeycomb in shape and between the holes one may discern minute carvings of uncertain motif. On the reverse, a geometric design is found with embedded floral motif.

The wooden hilt has a strong flair at at each end and eight shallow flutes. The grip is completely covered in finely braided silver wire with a silver bead design in strong relief at top and bottom rims.

The laminated blade is a traditional straight form with a single edge, ending in a acute point. A strong fuller is found along the top length of the blade, beginning below the ricasso and terminating just prior to the taper towards the tip. The blade has a thickness of just under ¼ inch at the hilt, with a slight distal taper to ⅛ inch at the tip. The width is 1 ¼ inch and straight until the symmetrical narrowing in a convex manner to a sharply pointed tip. The tip is symmetrical with the point aligned with the centerline of the blade's long axis. Even near the spear-tip point, the blade is sharp only along the bottom.

The total length of this short sword is 16 inches, with a blade measuring 11 ¾ inches.

The scabbard is composed of two pieces of wood, carved to admit the shape of the dagger. The inner wooden scabbard is covered in three stages, the top and bottom being of nickel-silver and the center portion of black rayskin. The top portion being decorated with embossed and engraved floral designs with a strong silver bead at the throat that matches the one found on this hilt. The bottom portion, roughly ½ the length of the scabbard, is nickel-silver decorated on one side only at the top with floral and geometric patterns. Between the two decorated metal portions of the scabbard it is covered in unadorned black ray-skin. On the back, plain side of the scabbard is found a a single lug for hanging the sword from a belt, usually on the left side in Bhutanese style as influenced by the Chinese. This looks to be a later addition to the original scabbard.

I really like this sword although I'm a bit suspicious of the blade. Although everything is now cleaned up, when I received it the blade seemed in better condition than the hilt.

The pictures of the pommel and hilt were taken through a magnifying glass with a flashlight to the side. I'm pleased by the detail it shows. Good idea? Much cheaper than a macro lens for the camera!

Thank you in advance for your comments!

Best Regards,

Dave A.

[Sajen]

Hello Dave,

don't understand that nobody have given a comment until now. Also when it don't seems to be a antique knife it seems to have a good age, the laminated blade is a good sign! Nice one and It would be glad when I have byself such a Bhutan/Tibet dagger.

Regards,
Detlef

[Oliver Pinchot]

This form of blade, with its acute tip and broad central fuller or groove, begins to appear after WWII. I'm inclined to think it was inspired by a bayonet. Earlier blades tend to have a radiused tip, and are rarely fullered, though they are occasionally grooved.

That said, this type of blade turns up in tourist pieces side by side with those made for use, so it is a legitimate form. Like this one, they are often found in earlier mounts as well.