Burman dha with ivory handle

Mark · 3rd August 2006, 12:46 PM

It is essentially lens shaped. It has a back edge the entire length of the blade (also pretty unusual - usually the first 1/2 - 2/3 is flat, rounded or peaked), with the last 1/3 or so being fully sharpened.

The tip, by the way, would be huabua, if it were a Thai blade. Note the likke "beak" at the apex of the top. I don't know what it would be called in Burmese, though.

wilked aka Khun Deng · 5th August 2006, 01:47 PM

Once again you make me jealous. It'll make a nice "set". I saw a matched set of dha at the River City market with this same pierced carving, but the blade and scabbard were definately Ayuttaya style (probably a comissioned set).

The info you gave about the location of the carving was interesting also. I'm wondering if some of that expertice filtered south into Thailand. The reason I say that is in the last few years in Thailand a cottage industry of this type of 3D "in depth" carving on teak has sprung up. I've just purchased a table top sized piece that features a battle scene between monsters and humans and it is carved from a single piece of teak about 8" thick. It shows the same aspects of carving techniques. All of these pieces come from carving "camps" up near Chiang Mai (near the Burmese border) and can take anywhere from 3 to 8 months to finish.

Still looking for someone to finish the ivory carving on my matched set before I'll show them.

Dan

B.I · 5th August 2006, 09:20 PM

hi mark,
i seem to remember seeing a burmese ivory knife. it had a carved handle and an ivory blade (so, a large paper knife?). but, the style was of the same type of work (pierced) and the fact that is didnt have a steel blade was meaningless, as it was created for an exhibition to show the artisans craft.
best thing, though, is that the name of the artisan was given and also his location (a place in burma).
i can try and back track where i saw this, but am pretty sure is was H.H.Coles photographic plates from the simla exhibiton (in the 1880s). am going by memory, but maybe it will give a location for a style of work (even if it isnt the same as yours, it will be of a particualr style seen elsewhere on dhas)

5th August 2006, 01:47 PM	#2
wilked aka Khun Deng Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Oahu, Hawaii Posts: 166	Incredible! Once again you make me jealous. It'll make a nice "set". I saw a matched set of dha at the River City market with this same pierced carving, but the blade and scabbard were definately Ayuttaya style (probably a comissioned set). The info you gave about the location of the carving was interesting also. I'm wondering if some of that expertice filtered south into Thailand. The reason I say that is in the last few years in Thailand a cottage industry of this type of 3D "in depth" carving on teak has sprung up. I've just purchased a table top sized piece that features a battle scene between monsters and humans and it is carved from a single piece of teak about 8" thick. It shows the same aspects of carving techniques. All of these pieces come from carving "camps" up near Chiang Mai (near the Burmese border) and can take anywhere from 3 to 8 months to finish. Still looking for someone to finish the ivory carving on my matched set before I'll show them. Dan

3rd August 2006, 12:46 PM	#1
Mark Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 987	It is essentially lens shaped. It has a back edge the entire length of the blade (also pretty unusual - usually the first 1/2 - 2/3 is flat, rounded or peaked), with the last 1/3 or so being fully sharpened. The tip, by the way, would be huabua, if it were a Thai blade. Note the likke "beak" at the apex of the top. I don't know what it would be called in Burmese, though.

5th August 2006, 09:20 PM	#3
B.I Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 485	hi mark, i seem to remember seeing a burmese ivory knife. it had a carved handle and an ivory blade (so, a large paper knife?). but, the style was of the same type of work (pierced) and the fact that is didnt have a steel blade was meaningless, as it was created for an exhibition to show the artisans craft. best thing, though, is that the name of the artisan was given and also his location (a place in burma). i can try and back track where i saw this, but am pretty sure is was H.H.Coles photographic plates from the simla exhibiton (in the 1880s). am going by memory, but maybe it will give a location for a style of work (even if it isnt the same as yours, it will be of a particualr style seen elsewhere on dhas)