Jiāgāng (加鋼)
A construction of edged weapons where a separate piece of high-carbon steel is forged into layers of milder steel.
Markings on Chinese swords
Most markings are found on military edged weapons, usually in the form of serial numbers and characters denoting a place or unit.
Tuánliàn jiàn (團練劍)
The Chinese militia jian. A simple, practical version of the Chinese straightsword.
Jiàn (劍)
The Chinese straightsword.
Dāo (刀)
Used to describe a wide variety of single-edged tools and weapons.
Early Chinese duǎndāo
With rare downward curving grip as seen on artwork of the 17th and 18th centuries.
Republican period fighting jian
A very nice and complete example, circa 1920's-30's.
Dha / da (ဓား)
Burmese word for sword, knife or chopper.
Yànlíngdāo (雁翎刀)
A Chinese saber type that translates as "goose-feather saber".
Yànchìdāo (雁翅刀)
Chinese saber type with a gently curved blade and clipped tip.
Liǔyèdāo (柳葉刀)
A Chinese saber with a gentle curve.
Yànmáodāo (雁毛刀)
A Chinese saber type with a mainly straight blade that curves up at the tip. It literally means "goose-quill-saber".
Dāndāo (單刀)
Literally "single saber", it refers to any type of dāo used solely without shield or weapon in the other hand.
Ban
The national sword of the Kingdom of Sikkim, a monarchy in the eastern Himalayas.
Twist-core steel
A type of pattern-welding using twisted rods of steel.
Huāwéngāng (花文鋼)
A type of pattern welding known in English as twist-core.
A rare Jinchuan sword
A royal sword, probably from the Wasi kingdom in present-day Sichuan province.
A 17th century Manchu saber
A massive 17th century saber blade with markings in Manchu and Chinese.
A "churi chenm" sword
A fine example of a Bhutanese shortsword with "churi chenm" scabbard.
Churi chenm
A type of Bhutanese sword with a triple "W" pattern on its silver-clad scabbard.
Patag
Dzongkha name for the Bhutanese sword.
Niuweidao with Guangxu mark
Dated 1895. Large and heavy, a quality piece.
Niúwěidāo (牛尾刀)
A late form of Chinese saber with a pronounced widening at the tip.
Glossary of Chinese saber terminology
An overview of Chinese saber terminology as found in Chinese texts.
A heavy Burmese dha
With a very good, substantial blade with differential heat treatment.
An exceptionally large dadao
With a wide clipped tip with notched upper edge.
Large Vietnamese trường đao
Of very good quality for this type of weapon.
Vietnamese straightsword
It has a narrow but sturdy blade with a springy temper.
North Indian sosun pattah
A very good example of a sosun pattah, or "lily leaf", of elegant form.
Sikin panjang with golden crown
With double tiered golden crown.
Jianruiying (2); weapons and equipment
The Jianruiying was an elite division of the Qing dynasty military consisting of crack troops that were spe
Antique wide bladed hudiedao
Introduction
The hudiedao (蝴蝶刀), are a type of double swords peculiar to the port ci
Village militia dadao
Description
A large Chinese double handed falchion of a form that is both related to the niuweid
A Chinese hook sword
A rather well-made example of its type.
A large Vietnamese falchion
Description
A rather unusual Vietnamese falchion, by lack of a better name for the type.
A Yi / Lolo sword
Introduction
The Yi or Nuosuo people are known as Lolo in early Western ethnographic writings.
Chinese double shortswords
A good set of the first half of the 19th century, with large and rather heavy forge folded blades.
Antique Vietnamese swords
A reference list of antique Vietnamese swords and sabers I've had over time.
Chiseled iron Hindu basket hilt
With blackened iron panels with decorative borders carved in relief.
Indian Pata with Kutch style decor
A serious weapon with a very good blade and heavy plating.
Antique Chinese jian
A fine Chinese straightsword blade, of typical Qing form with a rather wide profile.
A fine pattern welded kora
Short but substantial, with its protruding tip it's rather mace-like.
Republican jian with etched blade
Description
A large and rather interesting Chinese jian dating from the Chinese Republic
Late Qing southern saber
With differential heat-treatment, creating a cloudy crystalline effect along the edge.
Republican duanjian with good blade
Description
An unusual piece: Jian with these mountings are usually of the long type, often with a soft ste
Korean ceremonial saber
Of a type referred to as byeolungeom, "sword used by king’s guard officials".
An outstanding Tibetan sword
A very good example of a Tibetan dpa'dam in its archetypical form.
A fine silver hilted kasthāné
Of the Royal Workshops of the Kingdom of Khandy.