Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post

Mark · 3rd August 2006, 02:04 AM

Blade - 18.75 inches
Handle - 10.5 inches

JT - absolutely right, the handle may be fancy, but the blade is 100% business. It has that great balance and quickness of the longer-handled dha.

Thanks for the kind words, everyone.

According to Fraser-Lu, "During the reigns of the early Kon-baung kings [Kon-baung Dynasty = 1753-1886], ivory was popular for making regalia, ornaments, swords handles, images, religious manuscripts and boxes .... However, by the 1880's royal interest in ivory-carving seems to have waned, and by the time of annexation [1886] there were few ivory craftsmen in the employ of the palace. There were, however, a few private carvers known to be woring in the towns of Moulmein, Bassein, Rangoon, Pyinmana, and Mandalay, but because ivory was expensive, work was always done to order." Burmese Crafts, Past and Present (1994), p. 114. "Moulmein was considered the leading centre for the craft and many Rangoon carvers originated from there .... The art of ivory-carving appears to have died out in Moulmein, and Rangoon today is the main centre for this craft." Id.

The sword-making art also was almost extinguished in Burma after annexation and the passing of the Arms Act, which banned the carrying of most weapons. So the combination of the fine ivory carving and the well-made blade place the age of this guy not much younger than the mid 1880's.

Moulmein is in S. Burma (as I said, down near the Malay Peninsula), which is Mon country. This makes me wonder whether this kind of ivory carving, which you see also in wood, is a Mon rather than Burman style. That's my Western ignorance talking, since I am sure it is no mystery to a Burmese.

This is the handle of the other one I have. The carving is a little more finely done than the new one, but it has some breakage, and of course the pommel is crushed.

The blade on it is nothing special.

You can hardly make out the Buddha inside (his head is toward the pommel).

These guys are sort of like the one on the new dha - one is clearly a "bilu" (ogre).

3rd August 2006, 02:04 AM	#8
Mark Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 987	Blade - 18.75 inches Handle - 10.5 inches JT - absolutely right, the handle may be fancy, but the blade is 100% business. It has that great balance and quickness of the longer-handled dha. Thanks for the kind words, everyone. According to Fraser-Lu, "During the reigns of the early Kon-baung kings [Kon-baung Dynasty = 1753-1886], ivory was popular for making regalia, ornaments, swords handles, images, religious manuscripts and boxes .... However, by the 1880's royal interest in ivory-carving seems to have waned, and by the time of annexation [1886] there were few ivory craftsmen in the employ of the palace. There were, however, a few private carvers known to be woring in the towns of Moulmein, Bassein, Rangoon, Pyinmana, and Mandalay, but because ivory was expensive, work was always done to order." Burmese Crafts, Past and Present (1994), p. 114. "Moulmein was considered the leading centre for the craft and many Rangoon carvers originated from there .... The art of ivory-carving appears to have died out in Moulmein, and Rangoon today is the main centre for this craft." Id. The sword-making art also was almost extinguished in Burma after annexation and the passing of the Arms Act, which banned the carrying of most weapons. So the combination of the fine ivory carving and the well-made blade place the age of this guy not much younger than the mid 1880's. Moulmein is in S. Burma (as I said, down near the Malay Peninsula), which is Mon country. This makes me wonder whether this kind of ivory carving, which you see also in wood, is a Mon rather than Burman style. That's my Western ignorance talking, since I am sure it is no mystery to a Burmese. This is the handle of the other one I have. The carving is a little more finely done than the new one, but it has some breakage, and of course the pommel is crushed. The blade on it is nothing special. You can hardly make out the Buddha inside (his head is toward the pommel). These guys are sort of like the one on the new dha - one is clearly a "bilu" (ogre).