[Hotspur]

I had picked this up from Rob Miller of LionGate some years ago. In some ways, this be considered an early example of old stuff I was looking to accumulate. His thoughts had been (with a grain or two of salt) that the carving and gold work could be Japanese.

I had run this up the falgpole a few times and at an annual show, always a whatzit or something Pacific rim. Seven out of ten see a dragon immediately but I always have to look really hard myself. It is a bit like those trick prints some can make sense of.

Anyway, an old laminated blade that has eveidence of serious grinding some time in the past of its history. The pommel leaf work are individual on wires and bundled together. I have never been able to offer great pictures of the bone carving. I had taken this in to the Higgins last year for evaluation and Jeff Forgeng poked about a bit but came up uncertain except for the mention of agreeing it was probably Pacific rim or islander and petty late carving work. It does somewhat resemble Meji era stuff but the blade itself was never Japanese and the blade almost old Indian or other. (he was much more excited to see a hussar sabre I had brought in). The number of leaves somewhat relates to one of the carvings but that doesn't ad up in number.



Cheers

Hotspur; It seems almost dug and then re-hafted for whatever reason