MSI409

ANTIQUE SILVER-SHEATH CEREMONIAL DAGGER WITH BLADE – SHAN STATE, BURMA (MYANMAR) – LATE 19TH TO EARLY 20TH CENTURY

AN ORIGINAL CEREMONIAL DAGGER ATTRIBUTED TO SHAN STATE, BURMA, FEATURING A CYLINDRICAL SILVER OR SILVER-ALLOY SHEATH OVER A WOODEN CORE, ACCOMPANIED BY A STEEL BLADE SHOWING HONEST AGE AND USE. SUCH DAGGERS WERE PRODUCED FOR CEREMONIAL, STATUS, OR TRADITIONAL DRESS PURPOSES RATHER THAN FOR COMBAT.

THE FORM, PROPORTIONS, AND RESTRAINED DECORATIVE BANDING ARE CONSISTENT WITH SHAN AND NORTHERN BURMESE METALWORK OF THE LATE 19TH TO EARLY 20TH CENTURY. THE OUTER SHEATH APPEARS TO BE SILVER OR LOW-GRADE SILVER ALLOY (NOT TESTED), APPLIED OVER A CARVED WOODEN CORE, A COMMON CONSTRUCTION METHOD IN THE REGION.

THE PIECE IS FULLY INTACT AND WELL-PRESERVED FOR ITS AGE. THERE IS EVIDENCE OF A PREVIOUS OWNER’S ATTEMPT TO CLEAN OR POLISH THE SILVER SURFACE, RESULTING IN LIGHT SCRATCHING AND PARTIAL DISTURBANCE OF THE ORIGINAL PATINA. THIS CONDITION HAS BEEN LEFT AS SOURCED, WITHOUT FURTHER INTERVENTION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH COLLECTOR AND CONSERVATION PRACTICE.

MEASUREMENTS: LENGTH 170MM | WIDTH 15MM
WEIGHT: 22.52 GRAMS
MATERIALS: SILVER OR SILVER-ALLOY SHEATH (UNTESTED), WOOD CORE, STEEL BLADE
ORIGIN: SHAN STATE, BURMA (MYANMAR)
DATE: LATE 19TH TO EARLY 20TH CENTURY
CONDITION: VERY GOOD FOR AGE – NOT FULLY INTACT, THE BLADE TIP AT THE END IS BROKEN, VISIBLE WHEN BLADE EXPOSED, BUT CAN CREATE ANOTHER TIP TO FIX.

AVAILABLE FOR SALE AS A SINGLE ITEM OR AS PART OF A PAIR.

REFERENCE:
*- PEOPLE OF THE GOLDEN TRIANGLE – PAGE: 63 - BY PAUL AND ELAIN LEWIS – RIVER BOOKS