Chinese sabre
 

Not quite my field of collecting, but it seemed interesting so I bought it. The seller told me only that it was Asian and 19th century.

I guess it's a dadao, some sort of Chinese two-handed sabre. I hope this is the right name for it. Freebooter will probably be able to tell me more.

The wrapping on the handle has been renewed (so the seller told me), but it's nicely done. This sword is heavy, weighing about 1,4 kg. Total length is 82,5 cm with a handle measuring 24,5 cm. The blade has is 6,3 cm wide near the handle. The back of the blade is 8 mm thick near the handle.

What do you all think ? Is it a good piece ? :confused: :shrug: :o

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...man/dadao1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...man/dadao2.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...man/dadao3.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...man/dadao4.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...man/dadao5.jpg

Its a beauty Freddy!
Very nice, restoration is fine, I have no objection to 'pre aged' looking binding or using a bright colour.
Are you seeing any laminations in the blade?
Gene

I'm not sure. The blade is just as I got it. I didn't clean it.

I took a scan. Have a look :

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...man/dadao6.jpg

Looks great on the stones Freddy.
I still haven't started repolishing the blade on my Dao:
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=6894
But I guess there is a good chance that your sword and mine both have laminated blades. I think yours is a cracker mate! Hope my poorly Dao looks as good when I've restored it :(
Hopefully the experts in Chinese stuff will tell you more soon, but my guess is that its a good old one.

Regards
Gene

bump
 

Any comment, Freebooter ? ;)

Role call....present
 

G'day...

Hmmm Freddy, glad you have the faith mate but I cannot answer with any conviction on this piece.

It does have a very strong profile and looks to be a very hefty weapon.
I like the simple replacemnt binding too.
It appears for the most part of the blade to be the same width rather than a gradual curve and swelling to the tip and rather straight on the cutting edge..is it just the camera angles? I would like to see down the spine towards the tip and from the spine towards the cutting edge to gather an idea of how it tapers in other directions.
Is it a token effort to create the fullers or do they run deeper and wider than they appear on camera, I am not sure they would either strengthen or lighten the blade?
How does it feel in the hand, firm and managable or top heavy and clumsy?
Sorry I can not be very definative with this piece.

Below are some images of the an early 20th century Da Dao(1930-40ish) used by Chinese Nationalist troops that I have in my office, it is like comparing ducks and emus but I beleive(only an opinion) they should all follow similar curves/form. There is also a photo of these troops lined in a bunker at the ready.

Gav

I agree that it is difficult to say for sure on this one. There is no single element that looks wrong, but the overall look, particularly the blade shape, seems a bit off. If you find an inserted edge, you know for sure you have a good one, but short of that I don't know how to tell. Good distal taper and taper from the back to the edge are indicators of a genuine item because they take more skill to form. Nevertheless, not every antique made in a hurry by village smiths will taper the same way, or at all. Fullers can also be quite shallow. Dadao made more or less to regulations are easy to spot, but examples such as this one could have been made in a hurry by a village smith a hundred years ago, or last year.

I see what are likely fakes on eBay all the time, and there was a fake dadao at the Timonium show. If the blade shape makes me doubt, I wait for the next one.

Josh