Dah for comment

Ian · 5th June 2017, 05:28 PM

You have a Burmese dha probably from the second half of the 19th C or early 20th C. The koftgari work at forte, the widely fullered blade, and the tripartite hilt are typical Burmese work of that period. Your example appears to have some age to it and may be an early example of this style, which also includes the familiar story dha that employ the same koftgari technique on the blade. After about the 1920s these koftgari-decorated dha underwent a steady decline in the quality of materials and workmanship. Later versions had very poor quality blades, the koftgari work was more crudely executed, and repoussed brass hilts and scabbards were featured.

I have heard that many of this type of dha were made or sold in Rangoon (Yangon) to wealthy Burmese and British administrators, planters, and tourists. The fact that you picked it up in Yangon could be consistent with those accounts.

Nice dha. Congratulations on your find.

Ian.

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5th June 2017, 05:28 PM	#2
Ian Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: The Aussie Bush Posts: 4,361	You have a Burmese dha probably from the second half of the 19th C or early 20th C. The koftgari work at forte, the widely fullered blade, and the tripartite hilt are typical Burmese work of that period. Your example appears to have some age to it and may be an early example of this style, which also includes the familiar story dha that employ the same koftgari technique on the blade. After about the 1920s these koftgari-decorated dha underwent a steady decline in the quality of materials and workmanship. Later versions had very poor quality blades, the koftgari work was more crudely executed, and repoussed brass hilts and scabbards were featured. I have heard that many of this type of dha were made or sold in Rangoon (Yangon) to wealthy Burmese and British administrators, planters, and tourists. The fact that you picked it up in Yangon could be consistent with those accounts. Nice dha. Congratulations on your find. Ian.