"All the semi-independent Tibetan states, nomadic tribes, and monastic principalities occupying the border region prior to 1950 maintained irregular militias to protect their territories against the incursions of neighbors. Soldiers were conscripted from the lay subjects of local rulers, though monks also sometimes took part in fighting." Lamas, Princes and Brigands, Michael Aris, 1992.
Eastern Tibet Short Sword
Country of origin: Kham/Yunnan/Sichuan
Dating: Blade 19th century, mount 19th/early 20th century
Materials: Steel, wood
Total size: 64.5cm
Blade size: 46.5cm
Price: 850€
This saber appears to be a rare example of a short utilitarian saber, typical of eastern Tibet. To date, we have not observed any similar specimens, whether in private or museum collections, to our knowledge. The blade, undeniably of Tibetan origin, was the central point of our research. Only a photograph taken in 1923 allowed us to identify and classify this piece.
One of the 8 warrior of Joseph Rock, 1923 ("Lamas, Princes and Brigands", Michael Aris , 1992)
This photo was taken by Joseph Rock during his travels in the border regions with China, near Adong (in Yunnan, about 100 km from the Kachin region in Burma).
The blade of our sword is characteristic of Tibetan short sword: the tip is centered and tapered, the back gradually thins towards the end, and the center of the blade has a pattern, composed of hard steel, called 'masculine' (ཕོ་ལྕགས, pho lcags), and softer steel, called 'feminine' (ལྕགས་མོ་བྱ, mo lcags). The classic so-called "hairpin" pattern is characterized by alternating masculine and feminine steel which come together to form a point. However, our saber has an arrangement of steel layers that is much more complex to achieve. Here, the two alternating types of steel have been rolled onto themselves in a succession of spirals, a pattern commonly called 'Jelly Roll' by English speakers and referred to in Tibetan as Dmar gyi gya mtsho phug pa (Donald J . La Rocca, An Early Tibetan Text on the Connoisseurship of Swords). While some 'Jelly Roll' patterns are very open, with clearly discernible spirals, our saber pattern has been flattened.
Classic hairpin pattern then 2 types of "Jelly roll" (top left: personal copy; top right: Donald J. LaRocca, an early Tibetan text on the connoisseurship of swords; bottom left: copy of the article)
The handle has a notable particularity in its shape and construction. On the majority of Tibetan swords, the tang is often thin, through and riveted to the pommel, or thin and held in the handle with resin. Here, it is a full tang, or flat sole, framed by two horn plates. The fan-shaped pommel, decorated with a copper leaf, is still fixed by riveting the tang. This type of handle is reminiscent of the construction of the handles of Chinese, Tibetan or Mongolian travel kits.
Please, do not hesitate to contact us if you would like more photographs or information.