Another interesting dha

[Ian]

This auction ended today and concerned an unusual dha. Our fellow Forumite, Nathaniel, brought this one to my attention, so I will leave it to him to comment about its specific features. Also posted are pictures of one that I picked up a few months ago. It has a similar handle to the one that sold today, although mine has a D-guard instead of a small disk. Here are pictures of the one that sold today.

[Ian]

This D-guard sword is similar to the one that just ended.

[Battara]

Again the dha freaks are back! :D

[spiral]

Love the top one!

Spiral

[Nathaniel]

Hello Ian. Nice daab/dha. It's very interesting to see the full tang with horn scales secured with pins. As you know typically most dha/daab are a blind tang. The full tang daab come from the Tai minorities in Yunnan. Often Yunnan blades are sold to the other Tai goups, such as in northern Burma, so that is most likely where the blade then picked up the Burmese/Shan writing on the blade. Very good sword. Congrats to the new owner :) And also thank you Ian for showing your very unique dha with the D guard. Great piece! Love the Running tiger mark.

[Ian]

Nathaniel, you are being too modest!

A few months back Nathaniel wrote to me about the "running tiger" mark that can be seen at forte on the D-guard dha I have posted here. Based on another sword that I had posted about 10 years ago, which had the same mark and a Chinese inscription, Nathaniel and a friend tracked down the origin of that sword and the "running tiger" mark. They came from a Shan area in southern Yunan and the sword there is called a "Husa dha."

Here is the earlier discussion: http://www.vikingsword.com/ubb/Forum1/HTML/001243.html

The two examples in this post would seem to come from the same area. The D-guard sword has a full tang hilt with horn scales that are attached with three pins. This sword has the "running tiger" mark, indicating its origin in the Shan area of southern Yunnan. The other sword has an identical handle and is presumably from the same area. Both could reasonably be considered Husa dha.

Props to Nathaniel for sleuthing this out. :D

[Andrew]

Outstanding! That "running tiger" mark has mystified us for years. Here are some additional old threads about it:

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=9374&highlight=running+tiger

http://www.vikingsword.com/ubb/Forum1/HTML/001540.html

[Nathaniel]

Nathaniel, you are being too modest!

A few months back Nathaniel wrote to me about the "running tiger" mark that can be seen at forte on the D-guard dha I have posted here. Based on another sword that I had posted about 10 years ago, which had the same mark and a Chinese inscription, Nathaniel and a friend tracked down the origin of that sword and the "running tiger" mark. They came from a Shan area in southern Yunan and the sword there is called a "Husa dha."

Here is the earlier discussion: http://www.vikingsword.com/ubb/Forum1/HTML/001243.html

The two examples in this post would seem to come from the same area. The D-guard sword has a full tang hilt with horn scales that are attached with three pins. This sword has the "running tiger" mark, indicating its origin in the Shan area of southern Yunnan. The other sword has an identical handle and is presumably from the same area. Both could reasonably be considered Husa dha.

Props to Nathaniel for sleuthing this out. :D

Thank you Ian for the kinds words. Yes, Andrew, Ian's sword is key because the inscription identifies the location of the village were it was made :) Running Tiger mystery solved :)

HuSa is the name of the area. Achang is the minority that lives there. In China these are known as HuSa Dao (Dao meaning knife/ single edge blade...so in English HuSa Knife).

http://reading.soundseechina.com/en/custom/custom_544.shtml

http://defence.pk/threads/pictures-of-chinese-people-56-ethnic-groups.225727/page-30

[spiral]

I see Artzi has just flogged a similar blade with tiger mark & I would guess replacement hilt?

Spiral

http://www.oriental-arms.com/photos.php?id=6262

[Ian]

Spiral, that one is too weird. :confused:

[Nathaniel]

:p Wow, Spiral, that is interesting.....the circles do remind me of some African designs...I cannot remember if I have seen this in a Yunnan sword handle with the horn scales...I think I may have...I have to look...but more usually I think of the circles with the Bo'an knife handles though...I've never seen one though in an antler shape. I agree with Ian...odd looking...ceremonial piece????

Bo'an knife

http://reading.soundseechina.com/en/custom/custom_543.shtml

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=6194

[spiral]

Spiral, that one is too weird. :confused:


:p Wow, Spiral, that is interesting.....the circles do remind me of some African designs...I cannot remember if I have seen this in a Yunnan sword handle with the horn scales...I think I may have...I have to look...but more usually I think of the circles with the Bo'an knife handles though...I've never seen one though in an antler shape. I agree with Ian...odd looking...ceremonial piece????
]

Indeed Chaps, & Well not my field but looks a replacement hilt to me...

Ive seen the dot & concentric circle on some Afghan or Afghan border pieces as well I seem to recall.

Spiral