Copper Bladed Mak

[Andrew]

I recently picked up this mak from eBay. To my suprise and delight, the blade is copper! Quite large, heavy and sharp, too.

To my eye, the wood handle and blade exhibit significant age. The wood is hard, dark and well-seasoned. The patination on the blade is a deep, rich brown, almost black in places. A few, small areas of verdigris are present, and the copper material is most evident at the edge (where sharpened) and in small areas near the handle where cleaning was undertaken. The white metal plate affixed to the base of the blade and the bands seem like more recent additions, as they are more crudely manufactured than the rest of the weapon, and affixed by nails.

The seller provided this information:

This sword was found in Bangkok Thailand and is thought to origionate from Burma. It is 26 inches in length and consistant with a style that indicates it is over 100 years of age.

The style is significantly older than 100 years. The copper blade is a puzzle, though.