[Gavin Nugent]

Thanks for coiming in Jim, Valjhun and Josh.

You are absolutely right Jim, it is going to be a long week and maybe longer if they take their time invoicing me. Thank you very much for the congratulations too, it is not very often such a rare piece pops it's head up in the world and it is nice to know average joe can still find them at very affordable prices.

As much as I like handling all types of swords and knives, since the birth of my son, it is time to focus on just one other interest which is my true calling, the Chinese weapons. I too am fasinated with the martial applications of such weapons.

Thanks too Valjhun, seeing it also gave me the WOW feeling too and I knew it just had to come home with me. The unusual always gets my vote.

Josh, glad you popped by with your input, lots to talk about with this one, and speculate too.

Thanks Rick, aka Rsword for taking an interest with my end of the world in email communication, as always, I am appreciative of all input that you have on a myriad of subjects.

Josh I was supprised and very happy to hear the Ching Long dating from my friend in Hong Kong. I have a lovely ivory foo dog censor from the Qianlong Dynasty with the seal mark of the era, so I wonder if I'll find a similar mark on this piece?

I immeadiately thought of the Kwandao in martial arts talk but this just seemed so much larger by proprtions that I had to ask further. The Hong Kong naming of this and Southern dialect connection you speak of makes sense.

A temple piece makes sense too as I am sure only royalty and the like could afford a huge weapon of such quality, I wouldn't expect the average soldier to walk with this monster constantly and I would imagine in most cases, a temple piece, although there are ceremonial examples only, a temple piece of this era should in fact be a weapon as well, but that's just my guess.

I think it is a weapon, although you comment on the dragon pointing elsewhere? I can see good forged quality in the steel and as there is no disk guard, the dragon does in fact appear to be that guard and the dragon from my eyes appears to be that of almost a basket hilt.

I have seen the bouncy eyes that you refer to also, I can't put my hands on where I saw them but if you can find a link, please do share it. I too saw the butt spike lacking but it didn't bother me at all. I may yet be pleasently surprised but a small simple one?

I'll be sure to add a lot more images in a week or two when it arrives, until then, I'd love to see more images from anywhere to compare with this if there are any?

Ivory Lion with mark is below

thanks

Gav