Newbie post, SE Asian knives

[Nathaniel]

Sawatdee Krap K.Lordkoos. Very nice Meed Mor. older blade, handle quite recent. You can tell by the style of silverwork and the resin job. Nice silverwork. As you know thought it's always hard to tell age because things in Southeast Asia with the heat, humidity and usual lack of maintenance, age allot quicker...just look at the buildings...some quite new buildings the exterior looks quite aged after a few years from the sun and rain.

[lordkoos]

Originally Posted by Nathaniel

Sawatdee Krap K.Lordkoos. Very nice Meed Mor. older blade, handle quite recent. You can tell by the style of silverwork and the resin job. Nice silverwork. As you know thought it's always hard to tell age because things in Southeast Asia with the heat, humidity and usual lack of maintenance, age allot quicker...just look at the buildings...some quite new buildings the exterior looks quite aged after a few years from the sun and rain.

Yes things do age rapidly in the tropics, which makes it difficult to be a detective. Thanks for the info on this knife, I probably paid too much for it, but I suppose that's the cost of getting an education. Likely the handle is elephant bone? Do you know anything about the struggling figures depicted on the handle? I suppose it was burned and cracked that way to purposely make it appear old.

Saw gorgeous old Karen knife yesterday available for 15,000 baht, fairly large knife but you wouldn't call it a sword, in very nice condition with a large, plain, elephant ivory handle. It had a silver-clad scabbard in the typical Burmese style & was quite heavy in the hand. Not sure if it is worth that kind of money? I'll see if I can get a photo of it as I'm going back over there today.