Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post

Mark · 13th December 2004, 02:13 PM

Thanks, all. It is very exciting to have such a nice, provenanced sword. Andrew, I haven't tried looking for info on the general, but I certainly intend to. It's hard to know where to start, but perhaps an internet search is the first step.

As for where it came from, aside from somewhere in Burma apparently, I need to check some sources to see who was in charge at that time. It was a very volotile period in Burmese history, with domestic control passing between Burmah and Mon kings, the capital shifting all over the place, and periodic invasions by the Thai and Arrakanese. It is a very distincitve style, and since I have not seen any bona fide "court" swords from Burma, I am going to venture a guess that it is such a sword, which means it is either from Ava, or Prome ... or Thaton ... or Pegu ... or Tuongoo ... <sigh>

The work on the scabbard looks almost Lao, actually. They work in this deeply chased style with illustrative panels. Perhaps a Lao craftsman in Burma, since Burma controlled that part of the area for some time in this era. I little perusal of my limited sources might shed some light.

13th December 2004, 02:13 PM	#7
Mark Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 987	Thanks for the complements Thanks, all. It is very exciting to have such a nice, provenanced sword. Andrew, I haven't tried looking for info on the general, but I certainly intend to. It's hard to know where to start, but perhaps an internet search is the first step. As for where it came from, aside from somewhere in Burma apparently, I need to check some sources to see who was in charge at that time. It was a very volotile period in Burmese history, with domestic control passing between Burmah and Mon kings, the capital shifting all over the place, and periodic invasions by the Thai and Arrakanese. It is a very distincitve style, and since I have not seen any bona fide "court" swords from Burma, I am going to venture a guess that it is such a sword, which means it is either from Ava, or Prome ... or Thaton ... or Pegu ... or Tuongoo ... <sigh> The work on the scabbard looks almost Lao, actually. They work in this deeply chased style with illustrative panels. Perhaps a Lao craftsman in Burma, since Burma controlled that part of the area for some time in this era. I little perusal of my limited sources might shed some light.