The Greatest Arms Shop - Something for Everyone.

[Aqtai]

Whoa!

I would love to walk into somewhere like that and just spend the afternoon browsing.

I don't suppose you get places like that anymore.

[Mark]

Beautiful stuff! Now I want some Oldman catalogues ....
FWIW, my take on the dha is below. I am starting to sort of veer off into the woods with the classification versus what’s been used so far, so others likely have a different view. I haven't made any changes to original classifications on my web site, so please forgive inconsistencies

In the first picture, between the axe and the buffalo head, left to right: a) Lanna style from northern Thailand (see, e.g., ## 71, 72 & C46 on the DRI, link below), b) Burman (the people specifically, not the country) style, with a Kachin influenced blade (this one may actually qualify as a dha-ma, i.e., a chopper rather than a sword; compare to ## 50, C9, C55 & C64) c) another Lanna style from northern Thailand, d) hard to tell, as the handle appears to be missing, I’ll venture a guess that it is Burman, based on the scabbard, e)this looks like a yatagan, not a dha, it must have snuck in from above, f) another Lanna style from northern Thailand, g) a bit hard to see, but it looks to me to be a “village” Shan style, but there might be a bit of a pommel, and metal ferrule, which might make it a Lanna style (I just can't tell from the picture whether it is a simple wrapped handle with glare around it, or something more elaborate).

In the second picture in the second post:
7)-10) Burman, based on the relatively straight blades and square tips of the scabbards [see, e.g., DRI ## C23 & C33, though 8)-10) could possibly be Shan, based on the somewhat longer grip, but I am sticking with Burman ];
12) dha-ma chopper that could be from just about anywhere in Burma or northern Thailand;
14)&15) dha-mauk utility knives that could be from just about anywhere in Burma or northern Thailand;
6) Burman [see, e.g., DRI ## 50, 51, C1, C4 & C64];
1) the handle looks like it broke in two and was repaired, the part closest to the blade looks to be Lanna style;
2)&3) Shan [see, e.g., DRI ## 70 & C52, and the scabbards of most of the daggers on the DRI];
4)&5) I believe this to be a Burman style [see DRI ## 62&65], 5) might possible be a Ratankosin era Thai dha, based on the unadorned silver covered scabbard, the pommel and flared ferrule, but overall the handle looks wrong – the pommel is a touch too big and it looks to have either wood or rattan wrapping in the middle;
13) Kachin [see DRI ## C27, C48 & C49], another possiblity for this one is a "double" sword where the blades are each sheathed in the handle of the other, such that when you grip the ends of the resulting staff and pull apart, you get a sword in each hand. Egerton describes and illustrates one, but I don't have a scan handly.

11) is a bit of a mystery, as the handle is broken and the down-turned blade is a bit unusual, I will hypothesize that it is a Lower Burmese style (maybe Burman, maybe Talaing (Mon)), influenced by Malaysia. Compare it to DRI # C62, which has the same type of blade, and a carved ivory handle of a style typical of southern Burma.

The Dha Research Index

[B.I]

hi mark,
whilst oldman was knowledgable in his own right, and privy to information about his pieces (having bought them indirectly from source), his descriptions were basic and of the 1900s (in the dha page - 1906). knowledge, obviously, has progressed since.
all the dha are classified as burmese on that page, with the following page classified as siamese (it has one dha and other items inc a war coat - i believe you have this image).
as its a catalogue, i'm sure there was more information that wasnt included in his short descriptions.
shame, eh!

[B.I]

mark,
the page refering to the dha.

[Jens Nordlunde]

Nice stuff, thank's for showing. I am quite shure I could have gotten rather pennyless after having shopped by Mr. Oldman, at to days prices.

Jens

[Andrew]

I'm pleased to advise that I own dha #8 under "Burmah". I obtained it from a friend on this forum, who had Philip Tom polish it. It's got a pattern-welded/forge-folded blade of remarkable quality. Very light, spring-tempered and differentially hardened with a prominent "hamon" affect, likely from an inserted edge.

It's one of my prized possessions.

[Mark]

Thanks for the additional information. It is not unlikely that all of these swords (not considering the ones in the picture of the shop itself) were collected in Burma, since the Shan items likely come from the Shan States in Eastern Burma. The odd man out is #1, which I am pretty sure is a Lanna style, which would make it from the region further east, around Chiang Mai or Luang Prabang. However, given the constant warfare between Burma and Thailand, it is not unreasonable to assume this one made its way into Burma as a spoil of war. #11 I see has an ivory handle, so it is very like the one on my web site. An #13 is a sword stick, huh? I have no data on those. Perhaps a travellor's or merchant's weapon? Or one made for a European? Its a pretty nifty piece, though.

I see from the descriptions page that there are also pieces from Siam in the catalogue. Any chance of getting a look at those?

[B.I]

hi mark,
i've attached the next page, but i believe you already have this (you posted it elsewhere on this forum).

andrew, very nice. i think that many pieces from these catalogues must appear now and then. i know i am patiently waiting for a couple of particular items, which i hope will appear on the market one day in my lifetime. however, they may be permanantly locked into a private collection but can hope...

[erlikhan]

Is that a complete intact Turkish horse head armor among 16th century breast & shoulder plates?? Worths too much today! Do you know from which year these pictures are?
regards