Early signs of dhamentia

[Andrew]

Curiouser and curiouser.

Other than claiming a Malay origin, did the seller provide any provenance? I'm unaware of any sword of this form originating from a Malay culture, but it's possible this traveled down through the peninsula on its way to you.

I think this blade has been shortened, but I'm far from certain. I've got a few dha with squared or convex tips that have a wide fuller extending through the tip. However, your scabbard is a bit long for the blade, and I think I detect a slight upcurve to the bottom edge of the fuller which might have indicated the beginning of fuller "resolution" if the blade were originally longer.

I think Mark may have a sword with a very similar blade.

The peg might have been placed to repair the scabbard (do I see a crack in the wood?). I've never seen a dha of this length and a chape cap with such a peg. When I have seen them, they usually appear on knife-sized weapons, or occasionally on newer, lower quality swords. This is not one of those.

[Tim Simmons]

I have a knife sized dha with a peg in the scabbard. I can see no obvious signs of alteration, the other side of the scabbard is fine. There are no file marks and a uniform patina on the blade tip, the balance of the weapon could not be better. What was Malay does border Siam. The blade on this is quite thin and tempered so as to have some flexability and much finer than my latter dha. Tim

[Andrew]

Fair enough, Tim. As I said, I'm far from certain this blade has been shortened, and you have the advantage of having it in your hand. This tip form is uncommon, but not unknown.

I, too, favor the balance of these long-handled swords. It makes for a very "quick" feeling blade, as that much handle will usually move the center of balance back very close to the handle/blade junction.

[RhysMichael]

I have to join with the others in saying what a great find that is. I have seen similar hilts but never have seen that tip style or makers mark either. Its a shame Dan is not still in Thailand to find out about the mark. I have seen several dha now with the longer handles with a more dramatic curve. Andrew is the evidence now that this is mostly Laotian ?

The only one I own that is similar is this one





Again congratulations on the find and beware dha are addictive. I am sure the surgeon general will soon require warning labels on them.

[Andrew]

Hi JT. I still favor Thai for Tim's example. Probably Ratankosin, according to Mark. A similar one appears as #4 in the second photo in this post about an Oldman Catalog:

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showpo...97&postcount=2

[Mark]

How did I miss this one? It is very nice, from what I can see.

I am going to go against the tide of opinion and say that it is Burman (as in the tribe after which Burma is named). The wide fuller and floral lotus pommel say Burma to me. Compare it to this one, which I am certain is Burman based on the presence of koftgari (plus the Burmese script is a dead give-away ).



I have seen the peg in a number of scabbards, so I think that it is a normal feature, but I don't think that I have seen it together with a chape. I think Andrew is right about age. Never seen the mark, either. It looks sort of like a flower with a stem ... or maybe a latanka? Are there two marks or one?

[Tim Simmons]

I take it I am in then, you will let me know the password or secret knock . This is a drawing of the mark but it might not be a good strike, looking from the handle at the bottom of the drawing using a +10 loop. I do not know if it helps. I thank you all for the reassuring comments as although not a complete stab in the dark I was a little concerned that I had spent a touch more than usual. Tim

[Andrew]

Originally Posted by Mark Bowditch

I am going to go against the tide of opinion and say that it is Burman (as in the tribe after which Burma is named). The wide fuller and floral lotus pommel say Burma to me. Compare it to this one, which I am certain is Burman based on the presence of koftgari (plus the Burmese script is a dead give-away ).

Hi Mark.

Notice I hedged my bets on the pommel?

Have we seen many Burman swords with handles of this length? I know this is not a "cast in stone" feature, but lotus-bud pommels do appear on Thai swords as well, and if the handle was shorter and three-sectioned like your example, you'd have complete agreement from me. Perhaps an example of cross-polination?

The struck marks at the forte are interesting. I suspect a smith's mark (no great guess).

Andrew