Ethnographic Arms & Armour
 

Go Back   Ethnographic Arms & Armour > Discussion Forums > Ethnographic Weapons

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
Old 12th July 2014, 06:30 PM   #1
Ian
Vikingsword Staff
 
Ian's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: The Aussie Bush
Posts: 4,008
Default Another interesting dha

This auction ended today and concerned an unusual dha. Our fellow Forumite, Nathaniel, brought this one to my attention, so I will leave it to him to comment about its specific features. Also posted are pictures of one that I picked up a few months ago. It has a similar handle to the one that sold today, although mine has a D-guard instead of a small disk. Here are pictures of the one that sold today.
Attached Images
    
Ian is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12th July 2014, 06:33 PM   #2
Ian
Vikingsword Staff
 
Ian's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: The Aussie Bush
Posts: 4,008
Default And mine for comparison

This D-guard sword is similar to the one that just ended.
Attached Images
   

Last edited by Ian; 13th July 2014 at 04:22 AM.
Ian is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12th July 2014, 09:44 PM   #3
Battara
EAAF Staff
 
Battara's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Louisville, KY
Posts: 7,135
Default

Again the dha freaks are back!
Battara is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 13th July 2014, 10:48 AM   #4
spiral
Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 1,712
Default

Love the top one!

Spiral
spiral is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 14th July 2014, 04:07 AM   #5
Nathaniel
Member
 
Nathaniel's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 865
Default

Hello Ian. Nice daab/dha. It's very interesting to see the full tang with horn scales secured with pins. As you know typically most dha/daab are a blind tang. The full tang daab come from the Tai minorities in Yunnan. Often Yunnan blades are sold to the other Tai goups, such as in northern Burma, so that is most likely where the blade then picked up the Burmese/Shan writing on the blade. Very good sword. Congrats to the new owner And also thank you Ian for showing your very unique dha with the D guard. Great piece! Love the Running tiger mark.
Nathaniel is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 14th July 2014, 04:44 AM   #6
Ian
Vikingsword Staff
 
Ian's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: The Aussie Bush
Posts: 4,008
Default Running Tiger mark

Nathaniel, you are being too modest!

A few months back Nathaniel wrote to me about the "running tiger" mark that can be seen at forte on the D-guard dha I have posted here. Based on another sword that I had posted about 10 years ago, which had the same mark and a Chinese inscription, Nathaniel and a friend tracked down the origin of that sword and the "running tiger" mark. They came from a Shan area in southern Yunan and the sword there is called a "Husa dha."

Here is the earlier discussion: http://www.vikingsword.com/ubb/Forum1/HTML/001243.html

The two examples in this post would seem to come from the same area. The D-guard sword has a full tang hilt with horn scales that are attached with three pins. This sword has the "running tiger" mark, indicating its origin in the Shan area of southern Yunnan. The other sword has an identical handle and is presumably from the same area. Both could reasonably be considered Husa dha.

Props to Nathaniel for sleuthing this out.

Last edited by Ian; 14th July 2014 at 05:12 AM.
Ian is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 14th July 2014, 08:27 PM   #7
Andrew
Member
 
Andrew's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: USA
Posts: 1,725
Cool

Outstanding! That "running tiger" mark has mystified us for years. Here are some additional old threads about it:

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...=running+tiger

http://www.vikingsword.com/ubb/Forum1/HTML/001540.html
Andrew is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 15th July 2014, 05:35 AM   #8
Nathaniel
Member
 
Nathaniel's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 865
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ian
Nathaniel, you are being too modest!

A few months back Nathaniel wrote to me about the "running tiger" mark that can be seen at forte on the D-guard dha I have posted here. Based on another sword that I had posted about 10 years ago, which had the same mark and a Chinese inscription, Nathaniel and a friend tracked down the origin of that sword and the "running tiger" mark. They came from a Shan area in southern Yunan and the sword there is called a "Husa dha."

Here is the earlier discussion: http://www.vikingsword.com/ubb/Forum1/HTML/001243.html

The two examples in this post would seem to come from the same area. The D-guard sword has a full tang hilt with horn scales that are attached with three pins. This sword has the "running tiger" mark, indicating its origin in the Shan area of southern Yunnan. The other sword has an identical handle and is presumably from the same area. Both could reasonably be considered Husa dha.

Props to Nathaniel for sleuthing this out.
Thank you Ian for the kinds words. Yes, Andrew, Ian's sword is key because the inscription identifies the location of the village were it was made Running Tiger mystery solved

HuSa is the name of the area. Achang is the minority that lives there. In China these are known as HuSa Dao (Dao meaning knife/ single edge blade...so in English HuSa Knife).

http://reading.soundseechina.com/en/...stom_544.shtml

http://defence.pk/threads/pictures-o...225727/page-30

Last edited by Nathaniel; 15th July 2014 at 05:49 AM.
Nathaniel is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 15th July 2014, 09:39 PM   #9
spiral
Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 1,712
Default

I see Artzi has just flogged a similar blade with tiger mark & I would guess replacement hilt?

Spiral

spiral is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 16th July 2014, 04:44 AM   #10
Ian
Vikingsword Staff
 
Ian's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: The Aussie Bush
Posts: 4,008
Default

Spiral, that one is too weird.
Ian is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 16th July 2014, 05:20 AM   #11
Nathaniel
Member
 
Nathaniel's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 865
Default

Wow, Spiral, that is interesting.....the circles do remind me of some African designs...I cannot remember if I have seen this in a Yunnan sword handle with the horn scales...I think I may have...I have to look...but more usually I think of the circles with the Bo'an knife handles though...I've never seen one though in an antler shape. I agree with Ian...odd looking...ceremonial piece????

Bo'an knife

http://reading.soundseechina.com/en/...stom_543.shtml

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=6194
Attached Images
   
Nathaniel is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 16th July 2014, 08:44 PM   #12
spiral
Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 1,712
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ian
Spiral, that one is too weird.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Nathaniel
Wow, Spiral, that is interesting.....the circles do remind me of some African designs...I cannot remember if I have seen this in a Yunnan sword handle with the horn scales...I think I may have...I have to look...but more usually I think of the circles with the Bo'an knife handles though...I've never seen one though in an antler shape. I agree with Ian...odd looking...ceremonial piece????
]
Indeed Chaps, & Well not my field but looks a replacement hilt to me...

Ive seen the dot & concentric circle on some Afghan or Afghan border pieces as well I seem to recall.

Spiral
spiral is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 03:12 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Posts are regarded as being copyrighted by their authors and the act of posting material is deemed to be a granting of an irrevocable nonexclusive license for display here.