Dha Shay
Dha Shay
Shan - Tai Yuan
Shan States - Upper Burma, British India (Myanmar) - Siam Kingdom (Northern Thailand) - French Protectorate of Laos (Laos) - Southern Yunnan, Qing Dynasty (China)
Late 19th century (ca. 1880 - 1900)
Steel, bamboo, rattan, cotton
Blade: 20 7/8" (53cm)
Hilt & Blade: 34" (86.4cm)
Hilt, Blade, Sheath: 37 1/8" (94.3cm)
Collection Date: 2023
Collection Number: 328
Ex. Mandarin Mansion ( Peter Dekker): Haarlem, Netherlands (2023)
Ex. European Antique Market
A large two- handed dha shay sword from the historic Burma region. The single- edged steel blade with a moderate upcurve to the point. Having a light weight with a thick beveled spine, the tip gently widening toward the point. Large cylindrical bamboo hilt completely covered in loops of braided rattan. The bamboo sheath of two halves joined together with braided rattan loops. One small rattan section is missing at the sheath mouth. The original red cotton baldric cord is tied to the upper portion of the sheath. A very good village grade dha sword. An older example, light weight and nicely balanced two-handed fighting sword of the historic Burmese region.
Photograph 22: Left: A Kachin manfrom the upland regions of Burma. Right: A Karen couple in Northern Thailand, titled “Hill Tribes, Northern Siam”, ca. 1900 - 1923.
[1] https://www.mandarinmansion.com/item/plain-dha-baldric (This Sword)
[2] https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/A_As1960-06-1-a
[3] https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/A_As-5969-a
[4] https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/A_As-Bs-92-a
[5] http://www.oriental-arms.co.il/item.php?id=3002
[6] http://www.oriental-arms.co.il/item.php?id=1760