Demon Head Hilt Bhutan Sword
 

This just ended. Thought I would take a chance on it? Seems to be real.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=290048157496

Reminds me of this guy :D

Lew

CONGRADULATIONS! IT LOOKS GOOD TO ME , I KNOW VERY LITTLE ABOUT WEAPONS FROM THAT REGION BUT THE DEAMON HEAD IS UNUSUAL FROM WHAT I HAVE SEEN OVER THE YEARS. IF IT IS A OLD ONE THRUOUT WITH NOTHING ADDED LATER I THINK YOU GOT A GOOD DEAL. YOU WILL BE ABLE TO TELL WHEN YOU GET IT IN HAND. GOOD LUCK

Killer sword Lew!
I've owned a few over the years.
Never with such an excellently carved handle.
Looks old too.
The blades on these are incredibly thick.
Way to go.
Stephen*

It's real, and it is unusual. Strikes me as fairly recent. It's a Lepcha (Rongpa) "ban" from Sikkim. (I think Stone made the original attribution to Bhutan. I think there may be a handful of Lepchas there.)

[QUOTE=dennee]It's real, and it is unusual. Strikes me as fairly recent.


Dennee

I really can't see this being recently made but it seems like it could be 1930-40s the patina is just too rich to be recent.

Lew

Sorry, when I say recent, I typically mean "not early twentieth century or older." I have a couple of bans and have seen a bunch more, and they are generally pretty much the same, usually with the exception of some variation in the level of decoration to the scabbard. (There was one with a fullered or fluted blade that looked something like a cut-down saber that I saw in Baltimore a year and a half ago, and it sold on eBay several months ago. Lack of patina suggested not terribly old.)

Your example is quite unusual in the carving, and I admit that I don't know if that means it is a traditional, rare variation or if it simply reflects more recent manufacture (I could certainly buy WWII vintage) as some were perhaps being manufactured not solely for utility use. (The Rongpas were reclusive valley dwellers and not very warlike. The ban was principally used as an axe-like utility knife, hence its heft.) It's also the presence of that brass band that is making me think it is a somewhat later example.

Overall, an interesting piece and worth the price.

Very nice handle and a good buy. It would not bother me in the slightest that is WW2 vintage. People did not go to these out of the way places for a holiday then, some areas are still restricted today I believe. I am happy with recent work that is made for a domestic market. The maker obviously prized the little piece of aluminium. The wood even seems to have some patina.

Dennee

Here is a pic of a nice one that I traded to Artzi a few years back and I am still kicking myself :(


Lew

Can't wait to see your pics of the new one when you receive it.

Steve

The sword arrived today and it seems to be as suspected circa 1940-50. The bands are white metal covered in some type of shellac that has turned brown. Thickness at the spine is about 1/4 ''. It may not be as old as I first thought but still a nice find.


Lew

Lew, I like that one you traded to Artzi. Pretty nice decoration, and the blade is marked. Bans were very much working blades, so they tend to be pretty basic, with decoration seeming to vary most on the scabbards--nothing, or some metal pinned on as in this example, or some little stones (as on your demon-headed one).

Frankly, I am most attracted most to utilitarian weapons.