Thai daab/katana fusion

[sirupate]

I wonder if one of the main influences for this style of sword in Siam/Thailand, didn't stem from when Yamada Nagamasa with 800 ronin helped bring order back into Thailand after the death of King Song Thom in 1628, very nice sword btw.

[Tim Simmons]

This is very attractive with pleasant repouse and chassing to the hilt, also a nice clean blade but what makes this piece 17th or 18th century? these items are not my main interest so it would be helpful if we could have some background information to oppinions made so far?

[wilked aka Khun Deng]

sirupate, that me be the event I was trying to reference (should go back and check my notes) but the the timeframe and the names jogged a memory fragment loose when you mentioned it.

[Mark]

Originally Posted by Tim Simmons

This is very attractive with pleasant repouse and chassing to the hilt, also a nice clean blade but what makes this piece 17th or 18th century? these items are not my main interest so it would be helpful if we could have some background information to oppinions made so far?

My admittedly only semi-educated guess is based in part on the time period when Japanese influence could have begun as an early limit (see previous posts), and that this is a fairly evolved form of the style, a true fusion rather than a remounted katana, which has a blade showing Chinese, rather than Japanese influence. One reference I have, Punjabhan, "Silverware in Thailand," has nice photos of several of these blades, all attributed to the Ayutthaya Period (1350-1767), giving 1767 as a late limit. The era of Japanese influence was in the last couple centuries of this period (call it 1600 onwards). Being conservative in dating swords, without more information about possible dating I'm saying its probably 18th C (i.e., 1700-ish to around 1767). It is of course possible that the style remained popular well into the Rattanakosin period, and in fact I have seen an example at the Smithsonian what is reliably dated to 1856 (a gift to President Pierce by King Mankut).

[Nathaniel]

Mark/ Dan......I'm trying to remember...when was it that the Lao smiths where brought from Laos to Aranyik?

[wilked aka Khun Deng]

Mark, no I never found anything concrete about the number of bands equating to rank, although if you put that thought in somebodies head, I've found that they'll sometimes agree with it. Can't tell if that's cause it jogged their memory or they just want to look intelligent.

I'll have to find notes Mark I'm pretty sure it was in the 1600s, but I still haven't found everything after the move from Japan

Nathaniel, I'm unfamiliar with Lao smiths being brought to Aranyik. I do know that many LAO silver smiths were force migrated to Chiang Mai and Nakhon Sri Thammarat about the same time as Chiang Mai was repopulated.

Dan

[Nathaniel]

Dan,

Oh, yes, Aranyik smiths are actually from Laos originally...

http://www.chiangmai-mail.com/087/tours.shtml

"Ayutthaya province has also become known for its OTOP (One Tambon One Product) goods, such as handmade Aranyik swords and kitchenware. The swords are produced at Tahchang by people originally from Laos. “The Aranyik sword is a popular souvenir from Ayutthaya, while the popular tourist attractions are the local cultures and traditions, buildings, elephant riding, and bicycling to view Ayutthaya town,” he said."

http://www.cozun.com/Aranyik.htm

"Although the craftsmen origins are traceable back to Laotian ancestors from Vientiane, their skill and methods to work the sword materials incorporate several Japanese techniques."


http://ilwc.aru.ac.th/Contents/ArtCr...tCraftEng2.htm

"When talking about good quality knives, most Thai people think of “Aranyik knives” that are bought from Aranyik village in Tha Reu District, Ayutthaya . Few people know the truth that Ban Aranyik is not the place that produces Aranyik knives, but it is the name of the market and the gambling house. One of the most outstanding products is “Knives”. The villagers from Ban Pai Nong and Ban Ton Pho, Nakorn Laung District 2 kilometers south of Pa Sak River, are the makers who sell knives there. Because they are so sharp and good quality, knives bought from Ban Aranyik, are called “Aranyik Knives”.

....It is said that the ancestors of residents of the Bang Pai Nong and Ban Ton Pho were Vientians from Laos who moved to settle in Thailand during the reign of King Rama II. Most of them were blacksmiths. When they came here, they found a good location with a big swamp. Pa Sak River and the bamboo forest were the best main fuel to forge the heated iron and the bamboo could also be used as a handle for large hammers or a knives. So they settled there to have a career of forging knives and have been there ever since. "

[Nathaniel]

Also some further reference pieces:

[Mark]

Originally Posted by sirupate

I wonder if one of the main influences for this style of sword in Siam/Thailand, didn't stem from when Yamada Nagamasa with 800 ronin helped bring order back into Thailand after the death of King Song Thom in 1628, very nice sword btw.

I think that is probably the era in which the influence started, or at least gained momentum. At that time Japan was Thailand's largest trading partner (see, e.g., Cambridge History of Southeast Asia, vol. 1, pt.2, pg. 7). However, King Prasat Thong expelled the Japanese in 1632, after which China became the dominant trading partner. I am sure the trade in Japanese blades continued after that, though, because that seems to be too narrow a window to account for the influence you see. Maybe Dan remembers which King it was who required Thai decoration on Japanese blades (I don't have that detail in my notes).