Chinese Imperial Two Handed Dao
 

Dao - Mine - Fake - What makes it fake? What would someone think it was authentic?

A friend paid a huge price for "Imperial Two Handed Dao". He brought it to me. I quietly let him hold and view one of my authentic dao. (see the last picture with the green scabbard)

He immediately realized his was fake. The online dealer refused return it. He left it with me because he was so disgusted.

Where it is "wrong?"

A big question mark is the blade.
Low carbon (almost iron) pattern welded that can hardly be even sharpened, not to mention holding an edge?!
Sharkskin/whatever grip so that it can easily slip and rotate in the hand!? Moreover, no signs of wear on the grip that is perfectly matching the scabbard!? :shrug:
My two cents.

PS: Why don't you show us the blade of yours?

NOOOO!
Shagreen is excellent as grip for a hilt, to maintain the sword, not to slip!
Many dao have shagreen (mine has)
Shagreen (ray or shark) was used all over the world, including Europe.

I would ask which online market he bought from? They tend to protect the buyer, even at the expense of the vendor.

Polished rayskin is OK for scabbards, it's fairly slick for a grip, the bumpy unpolished is better. Do older ones have large Chinese characters? None of mine does, but I only have a few. The blade just doesn't seem right somehow.

Exactly!

All European and Japanese swords I have with rayskin hilts are unpolished.

I have seen polished rayskin grips on some Chinese swords but I have serious doubts about them.

Genuine antique Chinese fighting swords had generally wrapped textile grips.

I agree fuly.

I agree with you on that one
look at this one I have some serious doubts

I disagree or let's say not always.
Look at this one, this is a model well known and prsent in many museums...
around 1900.

Fake, decorative sword "antiquated." Square grip almost identical with scabbard. No traces of handling.
:cool:

Entirely diferent story! Yet, I suspect the grip is a later replacement but still atique.
:shrug:

My mid 19c Imperial era Dao: Probably from a Warlord's troops.