A pair of Chinese sword

[Jim McDougall]

Originally Posted by benny.lee

A pair of Chinese sword
This is a pair of Chinese Qing Dynasty sword
Copper made the shell is very exquisite decoration, two swords in a sheath inside
This kind of sword is usually used by reading people, or civilian officials, and is more used to reflect identity.

Benny,
This is an interesting example of the edged weapon form known as 'shuangjian' (double sword) which is indeed a late Qing development of the notorious 'hudiedao' (butterfly knives) of Southern Chinese martial arts.

These can be puzzling as often they occur as paired swords with fully shaped rather than flattened on one side blades. These typically have separate compartments in the scabbard.

While these paired jian which are essentially a halved sword are most known as commercially produced souveniers from end of 19th c. China, they are based on the earlier examples of butterfly knives which are known to have been used as early as 1820s.

For further reading I would recommend:
"A Social History of the Hudiedao (Butterfly Sword) in the Southern Chinese Martial Arts"
Ben Judkins, "King Fu Tea" . Jan. 28, 2013
This superb article was greatly enhanced through Gavin Nugent and his amazing collections of these.

Also
"History and Design of Butterfly Swords"
Jeffrey Modell. 'King Fu Tai Chi' magazine April 2010