Asian arms in Dutch master paintings
Dutch masters' fascination with exotic Asian wares shown in a series of paintings.
A Fraser talwar from the Deccan
Once belonging to William Fraser (1784-1835), a British civil servant.
A Fraser talwar, 18th century
Once belonging to William Fraser (1784-1835), a British civil servant.
Japanese inspired Asian sword
Inspired by uchigatana brought into Vietnam by Japanese refugees.
Ntugalu
Kachin name for a long straight sword.
Very good Mindan dha
With silver overlay on iron even continued on its hilt.
Mindan Ramayana dha
Fine Mindan dha with a scene from the Ramayana on its blade.
Silver mounted dha
With entirely silver covered hilt and silver mounts on scabbard.
Mindan dha
Fine silver overlaid dha made in Mindan village, south of Mandalay, gained fame in the 19th century.
Rare bird dha
One of the rarest forms of dha, with a hilt and scabbard carved like a bird.
Heavy dha
The thick and heavy blade is marked with a script that has yet to be identified.
Burmese dha with interesting blade
With inscriptions on blade, unusual grooves, and brass inlaid copper mounts.
Mainsa dha
Term coined by Bell in 1907, describing a dha that by then was mainly of Chinese make.
Plain dha with baldric
Nice plain dha as used in Yunnan, Burma, and northern Thailand. Complete with baldric.
A plain dha
Of a type likely produced by the Shan people and traded widely in the region.
Tibetan dpa'dam with belt hook
A large Tibetan sword, known in the local language as dpa'dam.
Dagestani shashka dated 1912
A nice Caucasian shashka from Dagestan with a Russian imperial monogram.
Vietnamese shortsword
A short version of the Vietnamese kiếm sword with a finely carved horn hilt.
Katana in horse theme koshirae
Blade signed Sesshū-jū Fujiwara Hiroyoshi, active in the 1670s-80s.
Han Plain Red Banner saber
Southern Chinese saber made for a soldier under the Plain Red Banner.
Very fine Mindan dha
Introduction
Fine silver overlaid dha made in Mindan village, south of Mandalay, gained fame in th
Tongzhou incident 29th army dàdāo
With markings attributing it to the Tongzhou incident and a Japanese surrender tag.
Qing peidao with gold grooves
With fine 18th century blade that combines many stylistic features.
Dha with story of Maung Tin
Of the silver overlaid type made in Mindan, with an unusual story on the blade.
Parang latok
A peculiar land Dayak sword with a sharp bend in the blade.
Parang latok
A curious slashing weapon from northern Borneo.
Sosun pattah with twistcore blade
The hilt with overlay of the finest quality of the period
Important Ko-Hōki Sadatsuna katana
12th-century blade. 33rd Shinsha Juyō Token with sayagaki by Tanobe.
Waitsum
Language: Khasi
Source: In common use
Talwar with 1693 dated blade
With later, elaborately chiseled hilt of very fine quality.
Tibetan cavalry dpa'dam
With massive blade and silk brocade decorated scabbard.
Unusual South Nias sword
Of rather clean design for the area, with separate silver mouth with teeth in hilt.
Finely carved mandau
A fine Dayak headhunter sword with an exceptionally carved hilt.
Deccan firanghi with silver overlay
The basket hilt is elaborately overlaid with silver in floral designs.
Interesting kirach with dated hilt
Mentioning the son of a Maharajah and a year corresponding to 1887 A.D.
Fine 17th century pattissa
The enormous blade made of fine, boldly contrasting wootz steel.
Jumyo katana with fine koshirae
The very detailed mountings are decorated with designs of Japanese spiny lobsters.
Katana by Musashi Taro Yasukuni
Signed, ubu. Complete with tasteful koshirae and Hozon papers.
Musashi Taro Yasukuni (武蔵太郎安国)
A Japanese swordsmith who lived between 1650-1730.
Longquan jiàn by Qian Zi Hao
A Chinese shortsword made by a well-known Longquan maker.
Cambodian long saber
Sized like the Chinese changren dadao, yet the execution of the hilt is Cambodian.
Chinese demon head saber
Based on a Chinese military saber blade, with unusual horn demon hilt
Shihōzume-gitae (四方詰め鍛え)
Japanese word for a sword construction with a high carbon edge, low carbon core, medium carbon sides and a separate back.
Hon-sanmai-gitae (本三枚鍛え)
Japanese word for a sword construction with a high carbon edge plate under a soft core, flanked by medium steel.
Sanmai-gitae (三枚鍛え)
Japanese word for a sword construction with a center high carbon edge plate.
Wariha-gitae / wariba-gitea (割刃鍛え)
Japanese term for a sword construction with an inserted edge made of higher carbon steel.
Hyoshigi-gitae (拍子木鍛え)
Japanese term for a sword construction with an edge made of higher carbon steel.
Maru-gitae (丸鍛え)
Japanese word for a basic blade construction consisting of one type of steel.
Construction methods of Japanese swords
This article will describe several methods by which the Japanese joined higher and lower carbon steels into their blades.