Another Dha

Flavio · 6th September 2006, 10:24 AM

Hi all, this is arrived today and IMHO is a beauty! What do you think? The handle seems to me simple bone and not ivory, but i'd like to ear from you. What is quite particular is the scabbard, isn't it? Any comment is welcome. Thanks

Lew · 6th September 2006, 03:25 PM

Flavio

That is a nice one! Interesting scabbard the hilt looks like bone.

Congrats

Lew

Ferguson · 6th September 2006, 03:52 PM

Wow. That one speaks to me. Very nice!

Steve

Flavio · 6th September 2006, 10:48 PM

Thank you friends

ariel · 6th September 2006, 11:05 PM

I looked at it myself but had to suppress my urges

: need funds for something closer to my main interests.
Very nice one, really very nice. I do not remember ever seeing this "basket-weave" cover for the scabbard. Is it peculiar to some specific locality/tradition/culture?
Dha-fiosos, raise your educated voices!

Flavio · 7th September 2006, 12:13 PM

Waiting for the Dhafiosos guys, here are some other pictures of the blade. What to do you think could be the signs like finger prints?

Andrew · 8th September 2006, 01:44 AM

Congratulations, Flavio.

That's really an interesting and (in my opinion) beautiful sword.

As noted before, the woven rattan basketry covering the scabbard is unusual. The closest thing I have seen is "Montagnard" work. Some scabbards attributed to Northern Thailand and Laos are completely wrapped by rattan strips. This example is missing some rattan:

Additionally, I have seen swords/machetes attributed to the Vietnam highlands with scabbards completely constructed of rattan strips woven into a true cylindrical basket. Can't locate my photos of these at the moment.

The Blade design is quite pleasing with that wide central fuller and decorative work. The handle, with its swollen central bone section is nicely done as well.

At one time, I would have been quick to catagorize this as Burmese (Kachin). I think this might be Northern Thai, based on some things PUFF has shared with us recently.

PUFF? What do you say?

RhysMichael · 8th September 2006, 01:46 AM

Puff may be able to tell you what guild uses these markings , I think Mark or Ian have one with similar markings. A nice sword

Andrew · 8th September 2006, 01:52 AM

Hi John. Well, I was having a senior moment.

I thought I remembered PUFF making a comment about fullers running off the tip being a Thai element. He actually said the exact opposite.

RhysMichael · 8th September 2006, 02:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andrew

Hi John. Well, I was having a senior moment.

.

I cannot count how often oldtimers disease hits me now day

Mark · 8th September 2006, 04:42 AM

I would say Kachin, based on the almost straight blade, concave tip, and the three-part grip with the fat middle. It looks like bone to me, too, but the way - too much grain to be ivory.

The basket weave on the scabbard is new to me, too. Very interesting.

About the "finger-prints" (excuse my Italion, folks, just trying to be clear) - vuoi dire le rosette lungo la spina, o proprio le macchie scure sulla lama? [translation for others - "do you mean the rosettes along the spine, or the dark stains on the blade?"] I think the rosettes are just decorative, though a similar mark is used in Thailand as a maker's mark, but only because I've never seen a maker's mark placed all along the blade like that. The stains on the blade are very likely real fingerprints, or rather oxidation caused by them.

All-in-all, its a really nice piece. Congratulazioni!

Flavio · 8th September 2006, 08:26 AM

Grazie Mark

Yes i mean the dark signs on the blade, not the decorations. Thank you very much for informations!

Mark · 8th September 2006, 10:31 PM

Non ce' di che!

The oil of the finger-print, if left on the blade, will cause it to oxidize faster than the rest of the steel -voila', finger-print! I have a couple blades where you can almost see the worls of the finger-print. So, its a good idea to wipe down a blade with alcohol or other solvent, then re-oil, every once in a while, rather than just re-oil. I do that pretty much after every time I have to handle the blade itself.

6th September 2006, 10:24 AM	#1
Flavio Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Italia Posts: 1,243	Another Dha Hi all, this is arrived today and IMHO is a beauty! What do you think? The handle seems to me simple bone and not ivory, but i'd like to ear from you. What is quite particular is the scabbard, isn't it? Any comment is welcome. Thanks Attached Images

7th September 2006, 12:13 PM	#6
Flavio Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Italia Posts: 1,243	Waiting for the Dhafiosos guys, here are some other pictures of the blade. What to do you think could be the signs like finger prints? Attached Images

6th September 2006, 03:25 PM	#2
Lew (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: East Coast USA Posts: 3,191	Flavio That is a nice one! Interesting scabbard the hilt looks like bone. Congrats Lew

6th September 2006, 03:52 PM	#3
Ferguson Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Kernersville, NC, USA Posts: 793	Wow. That one speaks to me. Very nice! Steve

6th September 2006, 10:48 PM	#4
Flavio Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Italia Posts: 1,243	Thank you friends

6th September 2006, 11:05 PM	#5
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	I looked at it myself but had to suppress my urges : need funds for something closer to my main interests. Very nice one, really very nice. I do not remember ever seeing this "basket-weave" cover for the scabbard. Is it peculiar to some specific locality/tradition/culture? Dha-fiosos, raise your educated voices!

8th September 2006, 01:44 AM	#7
Andrew Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: USA Posts: 1,725	Congratulations, Flavio. That's really an interesting and (in my opinion) beautiful sword. As noted before, the woven rattan basketry covering the scabbard is unusual. The closest thing I have seen is "Montagnard" work. Some scabbards attributed to Northern Thailand and Laos are completely wrapped by rattan strips. This example is missing some rattan: Additionally, I have seen swords/machetes attributed to the Vietnam highlands with scabbards completely constructed of rattan strips woven into a true cylindrical basket. Can't locate my photos of these at the moment. The Blade design is quite pleasing with that wide central fuller and decorative work. The handle, with its swollen central bone section is nicely done as well. At one time, I would have been quick to catagorize this as Burmese (Kachin). I think this might be Northern Thai, based on some things PUFF has shared with us recently. PUFF? What do you say?

8th September 2006, 01:46 AM	#8
RhysMichael Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Virginia Posts: 520	Puff may be able to tell you what guild uses these markings , I think Mark or Ian have one with similar markings. A nice sword

8th September 2006, 01:52 AM	#9
Andrew Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: USA Posts: 1,725	Hi John. Well, I was having a senior moment. I thought I remembered PUFF making a comment about fullers running off the tip being a Thai element. He actually said the exact opposite.

8th September 2006, 04:42 AM	#11
Mark Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 987	I would say Kachin, based on the almost straight blade, concave tip, and the three-part grip with the fat middle. It looks like bone to me, too, but the way - too much grain to be ivory. The basket weave on the scabbard is new to me, too. Very interesting. About the "finger-prints" (excuse my Italion, folks, just trying to be clear) - vuoi dire le rosette lungo la spina, o proprio le macchie scure sulla lama? [translation for others - "do you mean the rosettes along the spine, or the dark stains on the blade?"] I think the rosettes are just decorative, though a similar mark is used in Thailand as a maker's mark, but only because I've never seen a maker's mark placed all along the blade like that. The stains on the blade are very likely real fingerprints, or rather oxidation caused by them. All-in-all, its a really nice piece. Congratulazioni!

8th September 2006, 08:26 AM	#12
Flavio Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Italia Posts: 1,243	Grazie Mark Yes i mean the dark signs on the blade, not the decorations. Thank you very much for informations!

8th September 2006, 10:31 PM	#13
Mark Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 987	Non ce' di che! The oil of the finger-print, if left on the blade, will cause it to oxidize faster than the rest of the steel -voila', finger-print! I have a couple blades where you can almost see the worls of the finger-print. So, its a good idea to wipe down a blade with alcohol or other solvent, then re-oil, every once in a while, rather than just re-oil. I do that pretty much after every time I have to handle the blade itself.