CARVED IVORY DHA/ PRIESTS KNIFE HANDLES
 

HERE ARE SOME EXAMPLES OF CARVEING PERHAPS WE CAN FIND A WAY TO DETERMINE IF THEY ARE THAI OR BURMESE. THE CARVING STYLES ARE SIMULAR AND NO DOUBT HAVE CHANGED WITH TIME AS WELL AS BY TRIBE AND REGION. THE FIRST PICTURE IS HANUMAN, THE NEXT TWO ARE OF A NORTHERN THAI PRIESTS KNIFE. UNFORTUNATELY i DON'T HAVE FURTHER INFORMATION.

What makes these priest knives and why?

WHAT LITTLE I KNOW I GOT FROM POSTS BY THE DHAFIA GUYS AND IN SOME POST THEY AGREED THESE KNIVES OF THAT SIZE WITH FANCY CARVED HANDLES WERE PRIESTS KNIVES. I DON'T KNOW IF THEY ARE JUST A SYMBOL OF OFFICE OR RANK FOR PRIESTS OR IF THEY SERVE A FUNCTION BUT THEY ARE COOL LOOKING. :D
PERHAPS OTHER PEOPLE MAY CARRY THEM AS WELL :confused: HOPEFULLY SOME OF THOSE MORE KNOWLEGABLE WILL GIVE US THE ANSWERS. I HAVE MORE PICTURES OF OTHER EXAMPLES BUT THE FILE SIZE IS TOO LARGE AND I DON'T HAVE SOFTWARE TO DOWNSIZE.

Google for this, there is a lot of free software available, I use for example VSO Image Resizer.

Regards,

Detlef

Barry, try the free www.photobucket.com

Yes, Vandoo(Barry) try Photobucket...that is what I use and I shot with a 6.1 & a 16 MP camera.

meed maw: (Thai) blessed or talismanic knife, carried as a protective talisman ("priest knife").

Source: http://dharesearch.bowditch.us/Gloss...me1Source1.htm

I do not really know anything about Burmese knives (such as the above), but when I think of Priest/ Monks knives I think of these style Thai blessed knives... http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=5162

Also see at the bottom of this series of pictures the Monk's looking at these type knives: http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showpo...10&postcount=8

Here is also another great thread I pulled out of the archives is:
http://www.vikingsword.com/ubb/Forum1/HTML/002295.html

The most valuable are those who are blessed by well know/ famous Buddhist Monks.

In this sense these type of special blessed knives are considered "amulets"

If you search on ebay, "Thai Knife" in addition to fruit carving knives, you will see priest/ lucky knives which can be as small as 1-3 inches and of course much larger full size knives.

HERE ARE TWO MORE I HAVE RESIZED SUCESSFULLY I UPLOADED PHOTO SOFTWARE YOU RECOMENDED THANKS :) BUT AM STILL LEARNING HOW TO USE IT. WHEN I GET IT FIGURED OUT I WILL ADD A FEW MORE.

Beautiful carvings....

Here is a more related link I posted recently on another thread that is related:

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showpo...9&postcount=11

Specifically this comments by Mark:

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showpo...57&postcount=8

Barry, My feeling is that most of these ivory handle carving are Burmese

Here is an interesting article I found online about Ivory carving in Myanmar
http://www.asianart.com/articles/ivory/index.html

Monograph on Ivory Carving in Burma (1901) by Henry Sheldon Pratt

http://ia700306.us.archive.org/25/it...00pratrich.pdf

Thanks Nathaniel, very helpful.

Another question: doe it matter if the hilt is made of ivory or bone?

Hmmm...I don't know...I would imagine of Ivory is more prestigious. I'm sure though too there might be fakes made of bone or simulated material.

Great thread, beautiful examples.

Sorry about the poor pictures. I have this one on its way to me soon, length is 9cm.
Any thoughts?

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c5...h0FdhDQ_12.jpghttp://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c5...h0F0uiQ_12.jpg

This look more like a recent keris handle from bone either from Madura or the North coast from Java. :shrug:

Regards,

Detlef

Thank you Detlef