Staying on the Japanese Theme: Japanese Trade Blades in SE Asia

trenchwarfare · 21st August 2012, 06:05 AM

Thanks for the additional photos. Would love to have seen it, before GI Bubba, and his decendants ravaged it for the last 70 years.

Emanuel · 21st August 2012, 06:20 AM

Hello,

A forum member here has a very impressive katana blade from Thailand. The fittings were Thai but made to resemble Japanese fittings. The handle, for example was a dark/black wood carved to resemble the wrap on Japanese handles. A gorgeous sword actually.

I don't recall the name, but there is a recent Thai/Japanese film about samurai mercenaries at various Thai courts, very interesting and fairly well done IIC. I'll look for the name...

Emanuel

laEspadaAncha · 21st August 2012, 07:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Emanuel

Hello,

A forum member here has a very impressive katana blade from Thailand. The fittings were Thai but made to resemble Japanese fittings. The handle, for example was a dark/black wood carved to resemble the wrap on Japanese handles. A gorgeous sword actually.

Hello Emanuel,

Any chance we might entice said forum member into posting a photograph of said Thai-mounted katana?

Cheers,

Chris

David R · 21st August 2012, 09:46 PM

In the Royal Armouries Leeds there is a large Japanese Katana/Nodachi in a very long hilt that came from China. As part of the convertion the Chinese had forged the tang out to a long wittle tang and then peened it over the pommel to hold it, rather than using the flat tang and peg it had been made with.

DhaDha · 22nd August 2012, 12:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by laEspadaAncha

Hello Emanuel,

Any chance we might entice said forum member into posting a photograph of said Thai-mounted katana?

Cheers,

Chris

Sure!
At almost 40 inches it is a bit of monster. I've been lucky enough to handle a few of this style and this is the largest. Others have had different blade styles but similar handles, with the wrapped-style decoration, and oval profile. I find the different cultures represented fascinating.

DhaDha · 22nd August 2012, 02:43 AM

BTW I believe the blade to be locally made, in the spirit of a Katana.

laEspadaAncha · 22nd August 2012, 04:54 AM

Howdy DD...

Thank you for posting these images of this fascinating - and beautiful - dha variant. The hilt is most definitely made in the style of an ito-wrapped tsuka, and it is the first time I have ever seen this feature borrowed by and incorporated into another culture's indigenous weaponry.

I also agree the blade is not nihonto, but rather is a local interpretation of a katana blade. By your estimation, how old is this dha?

David: Interesting find, and thanks for posting it... You wouldn't happen to have a photo of that long hilt, would you? As it so happens, the curator emeritus of that collection is involved in the discussion of this piece over at NMB. He's about to leave on vacation but has said he is going to take a picture of another 'pseudo-naginata' in the Royal Armoury Museum when he returns... I'll ask him about the piece you're speaking of.

Emanuel · 22nd August 2012, 05:08 AM

Yup, that's the one

D, I had forgotten the blade was local, just the general impression remained. I do recall it was a pleasure to handle.

David R · 7th September 2012, 10:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by laEspadaAncha

Howdy DD...

David: Interesting find, and thanks for posting it... You wouldn't happen to have a photo of that long hilt, would you? As it so happens, the curator emeritus of that collection is involved in the discussion of this piece over at NMB. He's about to leave on vacation but has said he is going to take a picture of another 'pseudo-naginata' in the Royal Armoury Museum when he returns... I'll ask him about the piece you're speaking of.

Sorry for the delay, here are pics of the remodeled katana/nodachi.

Nathaniel · 23rd August 2012, 02:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DhaDha

Sure!
At almost 40 inches it is a bit of monster. I've been lucky enough to handle a few of this style and this is the largest. Others have had different blade styles but similar handles, with the wrapped-style decoration, and oval profile. I find the different cultures represented fascinating.

Wonderful piece Dha Dha, thanks for sharing!

21st August 2012, 09:46 PM	#4
David R Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 1,119	Trade blade in China. In the Royal Armouries Leeds there is a large Japanese Katana/Nodachi in a very long hilt that came from China. As part of the convertion the Chinese had forged the tang out to a long wittle tang and then peened it over the pommel to hold it, rather than using the flat tang and peg it had been made with.

22nd August 2012, 02:43 AM	#6
DhaDha Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 176	BTW I believe the blade to be locally made, in the spirit of a Katana. Attached Images

21st August 2012, 06:05 AM	#1
trenchwarfare Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 385	Thanks for the additional photos. Would love to have seen it, before GI Bubba, and his decendants ravaged it for the last 70 years.

21st August 2012, 06:20 AM	#2
Emanuel Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 1,242	Hello, A forum member here has a very impressive katana blade from Thailand. The fittings were Thai but made to resemble Japanese fittings. The handle, for example was a dark/black wood carved to resemble the wrap on Japanese handles. A gorgeous sword actually. I don't recall the name, but there is a recent Thai/Japanese film about samurai mercenaries at various Thai courts, very interesting and fairly well done IIC. I'll look for the name... Emanuel

22nd August 2012, 04:54 AM	#7
laEspadaAncha Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 608	Howdy DD... Thank you for posting these images of this fascinating - and beautiful - dha variant. The hilt is most definitely made in the style of an ito-wrapped tsuka, and it is the first time I have ever seen this feature borrowed by and incorporated into another culture's indigenous weaponry. I also agree the blade is not nihonto, but rather is a local interpretation of a katana blade. By your estimation, how old is this dha? David: Interesting find, and thanks for posting it... You wouldn't happen to have a photo of that long hilt, would you? As it so happens, the curator emeritus of that collection is involved in the discussion of this piece over at NMB. He's about to leave on vacation but has said he is going to take a picture of another 'pseudo-naginata' in the Royal Armoury Museum when he returns... I'll ask him about the piece you're speaking of.

22nd August 2012, 05:08 AM	#8
Emanuel Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 1,242	Yup, that's the one D, I had forgotten the blade was local, just the general impression remained. I do recall it was a pleasure to handle.