Small dha (southern Laos)

[Iain]

Originally Posted by Ian

Iain, well said. As for age, I agree that the style dates back to the late 17th through 19th C, and I might be a little less conservative in attributing it to the 18th C. However, as you say, it's hard to know with any certainty. Likewise the location of manufacture. I agree that the old regions of Lanna and Lan Xang are fascinating (their borders shifted back and forth so much), and it's sometimes difficult to distinguish between the two when it comes to their swords. Thanks for showing this one.

I wouldn't have a problem to tentatively place it to the 18th century given the form and wear. Regarding the region, I think its a fairly safe bet to say somewhere in the general vicinity of Lampang to Vientiane if you draw a circle on a map. I would love to pair this piece with a full sized sword of the same hilt style at some point.