Question about a Dha

Battara · 9th March 2011, 07:18 PM

According to the patina I see, I would say brass or, more likely, copper.

Gavin Nugent · 9th March 2011, 07:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Battara

According to the patina I see, I would say brass or, more likely, copper.

Copper patina;

Here is an example of Thai silver showing a copper patina. These are the hilts of the large Namphee steel swords or unusual form.
Note the one of the left is still in the original patina, the one on the right was the same but now cleaned.

Good luck.

Gav

Andrew · 9th March 2011, 09:15 PM

Different alloys will patina differently, Gav.

Battara · 9th March 2011, 11:44 PM

Right Andrew - on the money!

I can tell that if the middle one has silver, it is a very low silver, but I would say most likely it is brass.

The one on the left is low silver (if any silver) or perhaps nickel silver (no silver content) with perhaps a low silver pommel.

The one on the right seems to have silver content.

Again: different alloys = different patinas.

Andrew · 10th March 2011, 12:01 AM

Jose, the right and left handles shown by Gav are a matched set--the right one has been cleaned.

I see what he is talking about--the patina on the left example sure does have a "coppery" tone.

Again, it's going to be quite hard to definitively determine the metal just from the patina (not to mention the fact we're all only looking a pictures on a computer monitor).

However, having said that (and having handled hundreds of examples from the region) I would say that the patina in the original example looks more like a brass alloy than a silver alloy.

Gavin Nugent · 10th March 2011, 06:45 AM

Another view...just never got around to finishing the job.

Gav

Andrew · 10th March 2011, 06:36 PM

Gav, does the handle of the cleaned sword look like the silver has some color to it? I wonder if that might not be a silver/copper alloy, which would account for the reddish-brown color of the patina.

I have some silver Thai swords of similar design where the silver patina turned a really nice, rich, lustrous midnight blue. A smalll polished area looked purely silver, but there is clearly an alloy metal there that caused a rather atypical patina color.

BTW, those two swords must be very troubling for you to keep track of--let me know if you want me to hold them for you.

10th March 2011, 06:45 AM	#6
Gavin Nugent Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 2,818	Another view Another view...just never got around to finishing the job. Gav Attached Images

9th March 2011, 07:18 PM	#1
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,310	According to the patina I see, I would say brass or, more likely, copper.

9th March 2011, 09:15 PM	#3
Andrew Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: USA Posts: 1,725	Different alloys will patina differently, Gav.

9th March 2011, 11:44 PM	#4
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,310	Right Andrew - on the money! I can tell that if the middle one has silver, it is a very low silver, but I would say most likely it is brass. The one on the left is low silver (if any silver) or perhaps nickel silver (no silver content) with perhaps a low silver pommel. The one on the right seems to have silver content. Again: different alloys = different patinas.

10th March 2011, 12:01 AM	#5
Andrew Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: USA Posts: 1,725	Jose, the right and left handles shown by Gav are a matched set--the right one has been cleaned. I see what he is talking about--the patina on the left example sure does have a "coppery" tone. Again, it's going to be quite hard to definitively determine the metal just from the patina (not to mention the fact we're all only looking a pictures on a computer monitor). However, having said that (and having handled hundreds of examples from the region) I would say that the patina in the original example looks more like a brass alloy than a silver alloy.

10th March 2011, 06:36 PM	#7
Andrew Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: USA Posts: 1,725	Gav, does the handle of the cleaned sword look like the silver has some color to it? I wonder if that might not be a silver/copper alloy, which would account for the reddish-brown color of the patina. I have some silver Thai swords of similar design where the silver patina turned a really nice, rich, lustrous midnight blue. A smalll polished area looked purely silver, but there is clearly an alloy metal there that caused a rather atypical patina color. BTW, those two swords must be very troubling for you to keep track of--let me know if you want me to hold them for you.