Hello Zelmoxis,
You sound very certain that this is Vietnamese and not Chinese. Do you know how to tell the two apart? Are you using a source other than the Barbier-Mueller book or the Huard and Durand book?
Honestly, up until now, I had thought the two shield designs to be identical. But, if you can distinguish them by weaving pattern or some other way, I REALLY want to know. I collect Vietnamese arms myself, and such information would be invaluable to me.
Just to give you an idea of my problem, I'm attaching a line drawing from the Chinese military manual, LIEN PING SHIH CHI, written and illustrated in 1571 (and reproduced in Osprey Military's, MEN-AT-ARMS SERIES, LATE IMPERIAL CHINESE ARMIES, 1520-1840). As you can see, it looks just like Bill's shield, or for that matter, any other large, round rattan shield.
Anyway, I hope you can help.
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