Dirty old Dha /Dhab
 

Picked this up last week. It was in a " bit of a state " Hence got it for a good price :)

I have quite a few DHA but this is the first with a rounded end.

O/A length is 30 1/2"
Hilt is 11 1/2"
Thickest part of the blade is 3/8"

Next post will be the "after Shots"

Regards
Roy

It took a while but I think it has come up quite well.
There are a cpo[lr of faults, the missing silver from the throat an the missing wood from the back of the scabbard. I can live with this.

I managed to get the throat, pommel and chape off and for the first time tried cleaning using aluminium foil, baking soda, salt and hot water. It worked very well, the silver came good in no time.

The three scabbard bands and the top part of the hilt are fixed so they had to be hand cleaned with polish and a stiff toothbrush. I protected the wood and rattan by covering with clingfilm and electical tape. Finally the wood was polished.

What I am uncertain about is whether the blade and scabbard were originally together. Although the decoration on the silverwork is the same the hilt and the scabbard throat do not match as well as others I have. It is possible that the scabbard throat has been flattened slightly though so perhaps they are ok.

I am going to say it is Shan, but the opinions of all you experts are always welcome.

Regards
Roy

Very nice! Great clean up job and I like the lines of this piece. Simple and workmanlike.

Nice clean up work! Nice piece.

Very good clean up job! :) While the scabbard throat from silver will be easy to restore is the missing piece of wood hard to restore. Do you plan this?

Regards,

Detlef

I really like a very well done restoration, as well as this one :D

to my understanding, the weapons are made to be always ready to serve
and it's to restore their dignity, that to rehabilitate them ,
but without distorting their origin state :p

thank you to have started this mission, that's comforts me

best regards

à +

Dom

Very nice work. I too am interested in knowing if you plan on fixing the silver on the throat of the scabbard and the broken bit of wood? Either way you decide to go the work you have do so far in preserving its original beauty is excellent.

Regards,
Robert

Sweet! Nice older Thai daab. Definitely a "user", likely owned by someone of some (but not too much) status, based on the silver fittings.

Based on the photos and the many similar examples I've handled and own, I would estimate late 19th/early 20th century.

:)

A EXCELLENT JOB , ITS ALWAYS A PLEASURE AND A REWARD WHEN A PROJECT COMES OUT THIS WELL. I AM SURE THE ORIGINAL OWNER WOULD BE PLEASED IF HE COULD SEE HIS OLD SWORD NOW.
AS TO GOING FURTHER THAT IS A MORE DIFFICULT DECISION. THESE FLAWS OCCURED IN THE LIFE OF AND PERIOD OF USE OF THE SWORD. TRADITIONALLY THE OLD OWNER WOULD HAVE TAKEN THE SWORD IN WHEN HE HAD THE MONEY AND HAD THE SCABBARD AND ANY DAMAGED SILVER REPLACED WITH A NEW ONE SOMETIMES ONLY THE BLADE BEING ORIGINAL.
AS COLLECTORS WE USUALLY WANT TO PRESERVE AS MUCH OF THE ORIGINAL AS POSSIBLE. IT WOULD BE EASY ENOUGH TO REPLACE ONE SIDE OF THE WOOD SCABBARD AND THE DAMAGED SILVER BUT WOULD YOU REALLY LIKE BETTER IF YOU DID SO.? IT MIGHT BE EASIER TO SELL OR BRING A BIT MORE $$ IF REPAIRED BUT SOME COLLECTORS MAY PREFER IT AS IT IS. :shrug:
KUDOS FOR WHAT YOU HAVE DONE SO FAR AS THAT REALLY NEEDED TO BE DONE TO PRESERVE AND RESPECT THE SWORD. WHAT YOU DO FROM NOW ON IS LEFT TO YOUR PERSONAL JUDGEMENT AND IS OK EITHER WAY. :)

A nice piece, and a very good job of cleaning up.

Gentlemen

Thanks for all the comments.

I am lucky enough to have a relative who is a silversmith so I will ask him about the silverwork. I don't intend to replace it but perhaps just an insert to cover the exposed wood. I think I will leave the wooden part of the scabbard as it is, I don't want to replace the whole side and to replace a section decently is far beyond my woodworking ability :D

Thanks again

Roy

I think you are going the right way there...it will never be new again, but it deserves respectfull treatment.

Wasnt that a great old blues/ska /reggae track? ;)

Spiral

Royston, nice solid northern tai piece. Good eye for a diamond in the rough :) Thanks for sharing with us the before and after :)

nice piece. :)