New Dha For Comment

Lew · 7th February 2005, 10:20 PM

Hi Dha Guys

The auction just ended on this item any comments will be appreciated.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...sPageName=WDVW

Lew

Andrew · 7th February 2005, 10:58 PM

That's a pretty interesting sword, Lew.

I'd say late 19th century/early 20th century Burmese, Shan style.

The brass-filled holes are a first for me, and the seller's guess at recycling of some sort may well be correct. The markings on the spine are not uncommon, as you know.

The coins are also intriguing and may provide some clues if you can place/date them. I've got a similar example with brass mounts and scabbard bindings with a Thai penny set in the pommel. It was one of my first threads on the old forum, and I'll do a quick search for it later when I have more time.

All said, I like this one. Nice grab.

Ian · 7th February 2005, 11:49 PM

Hi Lew:

I had a long look at this one and thought it was probably 1920/1930 or so based on the materials for the hilt and the design/inlay on the spine of the blade. Scabbard has some wear, but consistent with first half of the 20th C. Interesting brass dots towards the tip of the blade. That is distinctly uncommon for dha. I have an older dha with a similar feature but different blade style.

Nice dha.

Ian.

Ferguson · 8th February 2005, 01:48 AM

Hey Lew, Ya did good.

Steve

Andrew · 8th February 2005, 03:42 AM

I'm going to revise my opinion on age and defer to Ian.

I took another look at the ferules on the handle, which do look like more recent work than I first thought.

Here's the thread on my dha with the coin pommel. Not so similar, after all. My memory is unbelievable lately.

Lew, when you get this one, try to take some better pix of the coin, and let's see if someone can pin it down for you.

http://www.vikingsword.com/ubb/Forum1/HTML/001254.html

Mark · 8th February 2005, 03:48 PM

Here is a dha from Vandoo's collection (kindly donated to the Dha Research Index). Though it has an unconventional handle, the blade is not atypical. It has a copper plug near the tip as well. I have no idea of the significance.

The recycling theory makes some sense, assuming the blade was made by stock removal. If it was forged, I would think that at the very least the pre-existing hole would be distorted.

http://members.cox.net/thedhapage/C0021.htm

Lew · 8th February 2005, 06:01 PM

Hi Mark

Brass inserts in Asian swords are not uncommon many Qing dynasty jian have them. Maybe Phil Tom can shed some light on this feature?

Lew

Ian · 8th February 2005, 08:26 PM

This is a nice old dha which handles very well — light and fast despite being tip heavy. It has a rounded tip with a brass insert set back about an inch or so. This one is probably Thai from mid- to late-19th C. The black scabbard has been lacquered many times.

Ian · 8th February 2005, 08:36 PM

Mark:

The hilt on Barry's dha suggests a Chinese influence to me, similar to what are sometimes termed "river pirate swords.". Could this one be from Yunnan Province perhaps?

Ian.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark Bowditch

Here is a dha from Vandoo's collection (kindly donated to the Dha Research Index). Though it has an unconventional handle, the blade is not atypical. It has a copper plug near the tip as well. I have no idea of the significance.

The recycling theory makes some sense, assuming the blade was made by stock removal. If it was forged, I would think that at the very least the pre-existing hole would be distorted.

http://members.cox.net/thedhapage/C0021.htm

Lew · 18th February 2005, 03:23 AM

Hi Guys

The dha arrived today and I noticed something strange the tang is peened through to the coins on the butt cap? I thought all dha had short tangs?

Lew

Andrew · 18th February 2005, 03:31 AM

Lew, that's not likely to be the tang. It's probably a nail used to affix the end-cap/pommel.

Through-tang dha are quite rare in my experience. Mark used an ingeneous test to determine that his Ayutthaya period darb went entirely through the handle to the pommel: string a battery, a lightbulb and a piece of wire to either end of the sword. If the bulb lights up, you've probably got a closed circuit and a full tang (a noteable exception would be seen on swords completely encased in conductive metal).

Lew · 18th February 2005, 04:48 AM

Andrew

The blade and the coins were loose and when I moved the coins it made the blade shift around also. I put a few drops of super glue at the blade junction and by the coins and everthing tightened up nicely so I think that maybe the nail was a long one and might have been hitting into the end of the tang? I cleaned up the coin it is made of silver and either had 1845 or 1945 written on it but it was hard to read even with a jewelers lupe. The brass dots are on both sides of the blade. On further study on old burmese coins my guess is 1945 but that is the top coin there is underneath but who knows? Judging from it's overall appearance the sword is probably a WW2 era sword.

Lew

7th February 2005, 10:20 PM	#1
Lew (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: East Coast USA Posts: 3,191	New Dha For Comment Hi Dha Guys The auction just ended on this item any comments will be appreciated. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...sPageName=WDVW Lew Attached Images Last edited by Andrew; 18th February 2005 at 03:33 AM. Reason: Upload auction photos

7th February 2005, 11:49 PM	#3
Ian Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: The Aussie Bush Posts: 4,198	Probably early 20th C. dha Hi Lew: I had a long look at this one and thought it was probably 1920/1930 or so based on the materials for the hilt and the design/inlay on the spine of the blade. Scabbard has some wear, but consistent with first half of the 20th C. Interesting brass dots towards the tip of the blade. That is distinctly uncommon for dha. I have an older dha with a similar feature but different blade style. Nice dha. Ian. Last edited by Ian; 8th February 2005 at 08:32 PM.

8th February 2005, 08:26 PM	#8
Ian Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: The Aussie Bush Posts: 4,198	Dha with brass insert near tip This is a nice old dha which handles very well — light and fast despite being tip heavy. It has a rounded tip with a brass insert set back about an inch or so. This one is probably Thai from mid- to late-19th C. The black scabbard has been lacquered many times. Attached Images

18th February 2005, 04:48 AM	#12
Lew (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: East Coast USA Posts: 3,191	Andrew The blade and the coins were loose and when I moved the coins it made the blade shift around also. I put a few drops of super glue at the blade junction and by the coins and everthing tightened up nicely so I think that maybe the nail was a long one and might have been hitting into the end of the tang? I cleaned up the coin it is made of silver and either had 1845 or 1945 written on it but it was hard to read even with a jewelers lupe. The brass dots are on both sides of the blade. On further study on old burmese coins my guess is 1945 but that is the top coin there is underneath but who knows? Judging from it's overall appearance the sword is probably a WW2 era sword. Lew Last edited by LOUIEBLADES; 18th February 2005 at 04:30 PM.

7th February 2005, 10:58 PM	#2
Andrew Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: USA Posts: 1,725	That's a pretty interesting sword, Lew. I'd say late 19th century/early 20th century Burmese, Shan style. The brass-filled holes are a first for me, and the seller's guess at recycling of some sort may well be correct. The markings on the spine are not uncommon, as you know. The coins are also intriguing and may provide some clues if you can place/date them. I've got a similar example with brass mounts and scabbard bindings with a Thai penny set in the pommel. It was one of my first threads on the old forum, and I'll do a quick search for it later when I have more time. All said, I like this one. Nice grab.

8th February 2005, 01:48 AM	#4
Ferguson Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Kernersville, NC, USA Posts: 793	Hey Lew, Ya did good. Steve

8th February 2005, 03:42 AM	#5
Andrew Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: USA Posts: 1,725	I'm going to revise my opinion on age and defer to Ian. I took another look at the ferules on the handle, which do look like more recent work than I first thought. Here's the thread on my dha with the coin pommel. Not so similar, after all. My memory is unbelievable lately. Lew, when you get this one, try to take some better pix of the coin, and let's see if someone can pin it down for you. http://www.vikingsword.com/ubb/Forum1/HTML/001254.html

8th February 2005, 03:48 PM	#6
Mark Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 987	Here is a dha from Vandoo's collection (kindly donated to the Dha Research Index). Though it has an unconventional handle, the blade is not atypical. It has a copper plug near the tip as well. I have no idea of the significance. The recycling theory makes some sense, assuming the blade was made by stock removal. If it was forged, I would think that at the very least the pre-existing hole would be distorted. http://members.cox.net/thedhapage/C0021.htm

8th February 2005, 06:01 PM	#7
Lew (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: East Coast USA Posts: 3,191	Hi Mark Brass inserts in Asian swords are not uncommon many Qing dynasty jian have them. Maybe Phil Tom can shed some light on this feature? Lew

18th February 2005, 03:23 AM	#10
Lew (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: East Coast USA Posts: 3,191	Hi Guys The dha arrived today and I noticed something strange the tang is peened through to the coins on the butt cap? I thought all dha had short tangs? Lew

18th February 2005, 03:31 AM	#11
Andrew Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: USA Posts: 1,725	Lew, that's not likely to be the tang. It's probably a nail used to affix the end-cap/pommel. Through-tang dha are quite rare in my experience. Mark used an ingeneous test to determine that his Ayutthaya period darb went entirely through the handle to the pommel: string a battery, a lightbulb and a piece of wire to either end of the sword. If the bulb lights up, you've probably got a closed circuit and a full tang (a noteable exception would be seen on swords completely encased in conductive metal).