Bāxiān (八仙), "Eight Immortals"
Eight figures from Chinese Daoist mythology.
Kuíwén (夔紋)
Chinese decorative pattern consisting of archaic dragon motifs.
Gankyil
Tibetan name for a Buddhist symbol consisting of three or four elements in a circle.
Bekhu
Nias name for the monkey-like figure carved on some sword hilts.
Lasara
Nias word for the monster head that the people of Nias carved.
Bhutanese "churi chenm" sword
This style was worn by nobles and senior officials.
Bodhi tree
A fig tree under which the Buddha attained enlightenment.
Double-edged Bhutanese dagger
With triple grooves and in heavy silver mountings.
Chinese medium size jian
A heavy piece with a substantial blade, with smooth bronze mounts.
Bāguà (八卦) "Eight Trigrams"
Chinese meaning "Eight Trigrams", representing the fundamental principles of our world.
Lóngquán Daoist shuāngjiàn
A very good set of Daoist straightswords in a single scabbard. There is a lot to see here, but I will start with the blades.
An early "piha-kaetta"
Of nice quality, with unusual openwork silver bolster with serapendiya.
Unusual Indian zulfiqar sword
With bifurcated S-shaped blade in talwar hilt.
Talwar with Mamluk style blade
In Punjabi style hilt, with elaborately chiseled blade.
Tumpal
Indonesian name for a triangular motif.
Tap-set-sien
Long Way Dayak word for a type of decoration seen on mandau blades.
Mata kalong
Long Way Dayak word for a type of decoration seen on mandau blades.
Sérapéṅdiya
Sinhalese term for a mythical bird.
Astamangala
Tibetan for the Eight Buddhist Treasures
Sã̄gle buṭṭā (साँगले बुट्टा)
Nepali word that means "ornamentation in chains".
Mākhe buṭṭā (माखे बुट्टा)
Nepali word for a kind of ornamentation consisting of lines of small dots.
Haikale buṭṭā (हैकले बुट्टा)
Nepali word for a kind of ornamentation on a khukri handle, like a succession of hooks
Belahari buṭṭā (बेलहरि बुट्टा)
Nepali word for scrollwork embroidery on a khukuri scabbard.
Bel-buṭṭā (बेल्-बुट्टा)
Nepali word for scrollwork embroidery on a khukuri scabbard.
Kaḷas-daṉgaya.
Sinhalese term for a decorative motif that consists of a mesh-like pattern with floral elements. Also called koḷa vẹla.
Koḷa vẹla
Sinhalese term for a decorative motif that consists of a mesh-like pattern with floral elements. Also called kaḷas-daṉgaya.
Tani binduva (තැනි බින්දුව)
A Sinhalese decorative motif in lacquer that consists of simple diamond shapes.
Bō-koḷa
Sinhalese term for a decorative motif that resembles the leaf of a sacred fig tree.
Dẹla
Sinhalese term for a decorative motif that consists of a mesh of lines resembling a net.
A Vietnamese Christian cross
Constructed out of dense hardwood and with fine mother-of-pearl inlays in the Vietnamese fashion.
A fine late Qing jian
A step above the norm in quality for this period, with nicely pierced mounts.
Belu
A mythical Burmese, shape-shifting creature.
Dhu alfaqar (ذو الفقار)
An Islamic legendary sword.
Qing military rank badge
Depicting the golden cat, representing the 6th military rank.
Ganga-Jamni
Name for Indian work in two metals of contrasting colors, usually silver and gold.
Chu-pan
A type of Burmese floral scrolling.
Seven stars militia jian
A short, stout Chinese straightsword of a type used by village defenses across the empire.
Eight Buddhist Treasures
A suite of eight auspicious symbols used in Buddhist art.
Inome (猪目)
"Boar's eye", a heart-shaped pattern commonly used in Japanese art.
Suli Vẹla
A Sinhalese decorative motif that consists of circular vines.
Lanu-daṉgaya
Sinhalese term for a decorative motif that resembles knotwork.
Palā peti
Alternative Sinhalese term for a decorative motif consisting of stylized petals.
Pahade
Sinhalese term for a decorative motif consisting of stylized petals. Also known as palā peti.
Patura
Sinhalese term for a decorative motif that consists of elongated triangles with two sides of equal length.
Binduva (බිඳුව)
A Sinhalese decorative motif in lacquer that consists of diamond shapes.
Gal-bindu (ගල් බින්දු)
A Sinhalese decorative motif in lacquer that consists of diamond shapes.
Ādāra-koṇḍu
A Sinhalese decorative pattern that consists of plain lines.
Vẹlpota
A Sinhalese decorative motif.
Mamluk style sword in talwar hilt
Chiseled with a rare type of decor on the base, and with two Islamic inscriptions.