Chinese, Tibetan, Indian or African Sword?

drac2k · 28th December 2021, 08:57 PM

Thanks, Peter that would certainly be great news. Just to throw a wrench into the works, the knot on the scabbard reminds me of one on a Dyak Mandau sheath; it still could have the Chinese connection as the Dyaks had a great deal of contact with the Chinese, either by trading or piracy.

ariel · 4th January 2022, 01:29 AM

Yes, the blade almost certainly is a shortened Jian . But the handle does look Indian. I would guess that overall it is a composite Sino-Indian Gupti.

josh stout · 5th January 2022, 06:13 PM

I agree it is probably a jian blade. I also think it may be in its original dress, as it was put together in China. The knot may be influenced by a minority group, but the overall form is that of a "stick jian" or perhaps also called a "gun jian".

The tip has been modified.

I have one that is similar, and it is definitely all Chinese. From the overall work, I would say these are village manufacture, and likely to have a lot of variation within the form. I think it is a somewhat rare type, so there are not too many examples with which to compare it.

I will see if I can dig up a photo of mine.

josh stout · 5th January 2022, 07:35 PM

I found a few old photos of my stick jian. It is likely Republican era, and definitely a fighting piece. The blade shows good lamination and a slightly triangular tip. The tip on the example that started the thread may have been an attempt to recreate a triangle point that had become rounded with sharpening.

My example is 100% Chinese, and I think it is close enough to the posted one. I see no reaason to think the posted one is anything other than a Chinese stick jian with perhaps some minority influence.

ariel · 5th January 2022, 10:28 PM

Good examples.
Indian Gupti takes the silver, but the gold goes to China.
Nice start of Winter Olympics:-)

drac2k · 6th January 2022, 01:41 PM

Josh, you put to rest the origins of the sword. I'm surprised that I haven't run into one of these "stick swords," before. Were these used rurally or were they a poor man's Jian, perhaps used by gangs or laborers? Is there a specific region in China where they were prevalent?

28th December 2021, 08:57 PM	#1
drac2k Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Posts: 1,258	Thanks, Peter that would certainly be great news. Just to throw a wrench into the works, the knot on the scabbard reminds me of one on a Dyak Mandau sheath; it still could have the Chinese connection as the Dyaks had a great deal of contact with the Chinese, either by trading or piracy. Last edited by drac2k; 28th December 2021 at 09:12 PM. Reason: to add information

5th January 2022, 07:35 PM	#4
josh stout Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 407	I found a few old photos of my stick jian. It is likely Republican era, and definitely a fighting piece. The blade shows good lamination and a slightly triangular tip. The tip on the example that started the thread may have been an attempt to recreate a triangle point that had become rounded with sharpening. My example is 100% Chinese, and I think it is close enough to the posted one. I see no reaason to think the posted one is anything other than a Chinese stick jian with perhaps some minority influence. Attached Images

4th January 2022, 01:29 AM	#2
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	Yes, the blade almost certainly is a shortened Jian . But the handle does look Indian. I would guess that overall it is a composite Sino-Indian Gupti.

5th January 2022, 06:13 PM	#3
josh stout Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 407	I agree it is probably a jian blade. I also think it may be in its original dress, as it was put together in China. The knot may be influenced by a minority group, but the overall form is that of a "stick jian" or perhaps also called a "gun jian". The tip has been modified. I have one that is similar, and it is definitely all Chinese. From the overall work, I would say these are village manufacture, and likely to have a lot of variation within the form. I think it is a somewhat rare type, so there are not too many examples with which to compare it. I will see if I can dig up a photo of mine.

5th January 2022, 10:28 PM	#5
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	Good examples. Indian Gupti takes the silver, but the gold goes to China. Nice start of Winter Olympics:-)

6th January 2022, 01:41 PM	#6
drac2k Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Posts: 1,258	Josh, you put to rest the origins of the sword. I'm surprised that I haven't run into one of these "stick swords," before. Were these used rurally or were they a poor man's Jian, perhaps used by gangs or laborers? Is there a specific region in China where they were prevalent?