I love Pandora's box Ian, everything goes right out the window in such a mish mash region :-)
About the swords you presented.
#1, I am honestly, not entirely convinced that is an original marriage of blade and scabbard, something to discuss as we go if the sword surfaces and better images and information is available.
#2, I see this as Shan Burma work, exactly what museums have noted with shallow repousse work.
#3, I see this as Shan Burma silver craft as well.
#4, I cannot from the images so one way or the other but I see that this could also be Shan Burma
A question that comes to mind, and it comes to mind because of the generic term used, What constitutes a "Story" Dah?
Must it jut be the blade telling the story or much the scabbard also tell a story in repousse? Must the story, if a blade only is to be considered, must it tell of the tale/s of Jataka or simply be decoration of birds, elephants and chinthe?
Using this link for example, there are Burmese swords, do both classify as "Story" Dah, one fullly decorated blade, one partial? Note the more common sectional scabbard there too.
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showpo...23&postcount=5
I've added a random sectional scabbard image below on a sword I'd call Northern Thai in to Laos.
Many of my sold swords, I can say with conviction, my opinions have changed over time as information comes to hand...say s990 for example. Once I thought this to be Thai for many reasons, now I consider it Shan Burma based on the Vittorio Emanuele sword and those swords in the 1903 Delhi Durbar images. Some others, I'd add more specific data given the chance.
Lets look to Mark's site,there is a good amount of Dah and Daab to choose from with sectional scabbard and decorated blades. I have only chosen sword length inventory.
http://dharesearch.bowditch.us/0011.htm
This is the exact type of demise in the craft that I previously mentioned and the larger pairs I know were purchased in 1954 in Kachin Burma.
http://dharesearch.bowditch.us/0051.htm
Another of the Burma plain sectional type. "Story" blade.
http://dharesearch.bowditch.us/0065.htm
Another Burma, I've quite a few of these in my sold listing, with many different decorations to the blades, hence my question above, what makes a story Dha?
http://dharesearch.bowditch.us/0062.htm
An interesting sword, I'd call the blade Laos through to Tonkin border regions but the dress Shan. Its in the same basket I placed sold stock s990.
http://dharesearch.bowditch.us/0064.htm
Shan sectional silver dress...these sword types have the thinest finest silver sheet, hardly comparable to the type initially presented here which are thick, heavy and robust sections. Which leads me to a point of note, about from Iains sectional example and the scabbard of the one I question from Artzi's site, I personally would say that most others mentioned of plain sectional type found on the Thai/Lao sword types would crush and crumple under hand if not supported by the timber core.
http://dharesearch.bowditch.us/0070.htm
As per inventory 0064 above. You can see how easily the silver breaks and creases.
http://dharesearch.bowditch.us/0069.htm
I note Mark's question mark, and I can see the confusion...Laos Shan gets my vote, but even then its rocky....I think it could be a marriage.
http://dharesearch.bowditch.us/0074.htm
The sword in the initial thread post, one we should get back to in the discussion :-)
http://dharesearch.bowditch.us/0075.htm
Its a real nice Burman Dah, but coming back to my question, what makes a "story" dah a Story Dah...this is only decoration...
http://dharesearch.bowditch.us/C0008.htm
Another Burman blade decorated with animals...does it quality...
http://dharesearch.bowditch.us/C0013.htm
Another nice Shan Dah with fill silver sectional scabbard.
http://dharesearch.bowditch.us/C0015.htm
No much to say other than there is sections and its Burma???
http://dharesearch.bowditch.us/C0036.htm
Low repousse sectional Burmese Dah of nice form.
http://dharesearch.bowditch.us/C0045.htm
As a note, this is the typical Thai Laos silver scabbard form, single sheet with seperate end...I provide a sectional example in the image below, a rare aspect.
http://dharesearch.bowditch.us/C0050.htm
Another showing the typical scabbard design I note about, nice to see the hilt apart, showing the robust sections of the hilt.
http://dharesearch.bowditch.us/C0052.htm
Another nice all sectional silver Shan Dah.
Gavin