Sword from Laos

Ian · 23rd August 2005, 07:57 PM

Hi Micas:

I guess I qualify as one of the "dha guys."

Welcome to the forum and you are off to a flying start with a question about dha! What you have is an early 20th C. dha in the Thai style. The slightly flared handle, the blade that increases in width and then tapers to the point. The scabbard, with typical cord suspension system (baldric), is held together by the standard plaited rattan strips. decoration on the blade is similar to recent Thai blade designs.

If you are interested in a discussion of recently made Thai darb, you can find more information here: Contemporary Thai swords

Your sword is older than those recent Thai examples and of better quality. I'm sure your blade would be well tempered and the decorations are typical of pieces from the late 19th/early 20th C. in the NE Burma/N Thai/Laos area (often termed the "hill tribe" region). This style of blade probably traces its historical origins to the Shan people, but subsequently a much wider set of ethnic groups adopted this basic form.

What sets your sword apart as Lao rather than Thai is the provenance (you purchased it in Laos), the old French Indochine coin, and the black lacquer on the scabbard and hilt. The use of black lacquer on hilts and scabbards seems to be more common in Laos and neighboring areas, than in Thailand or Burma.

Hope this is helpful and gets you started on learning more about your sword.

Ian.

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23rd August 2005, 07:57 PM	#3
Ian Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: The Aussie Bush Posts: 4,367	Hi Micas: I guess I qualify as one of the "dha guys." Welcome to the forum and you are off to a flying start with a question about dha! What you have is an early 20th C. dha in the Thai style. The slightly flared handle, the blade that increases in width and then tapers to the point. The scabbard, with typical cord suspension system (baldric), is held together by the standard plaited rattan strips. decoration on the blade is similar to recent Thai blade designs. If you are interested in a discussion of recently made Thai darb, you can find more information here: Contemporary Thai swords Your sword is older than those recent Thai examples and of better quality. I'm sure your blade would be well tempered and the decorations are typical of pieces from the late 19th/early 20th C. in the NE Burma/N Thai/Laos area (often termed the "hill tribe" region). This style of blade probably traces its historical origins to the Shan people, but subsequently a much wider set of ethnic groups adopted this basic form. What sets your sword apart as Lao rather than Thai is the provenance (you purchased it in Laos), the old French Indochine coin, and the black lacquer on the scabbard and hilt. The use of black lacquer on hilts and scabbards seems to be more common in Laos and neighboring areas, than in Thailand or Burma. Hope this is helpful and gets you started on learning more about your sword. Ian.