Antique late 19thc to 1920 Chinese Dadao dao sword China Asian Jian big knife Swords

An antique end of the 19thc up to 1920s Chinese dadao ''big sword '' dao.

The Dadao is a traditional Chinese sword, A short chopping weapon, it is designed to be used with both hands and had a long association with law enforcement and the maintenance of public order, most frequently being seen in the hands of police or militia personnel or indeed official executioners and the military in China during the republican period and through ww2 to the 1950s.

This is a heavy but well balanced one of its type and although heavy is well balanced in the hand, could be used with one hand but is better when used with 2.

The blade is wide and widens more toward its tip and has to single fullers ending near to the tip, it also shows some light age pitting but nothing serious and a laminate is visible when looking close, still reasonably sharp, it has wear associated with age and usage but for its age it has lasted well considering this sword was used.

The guard is a simple iron one and likely village blacksmith made for militia, but I believe the old blade is likely a re used one from the end of the Qing period, could be earlier 19thc but really is impossible to say as these were made and used from the Ming period onward.

One thing I will mention is that this type guard pre dates the later 1930s bulls horn type seen on other dadao in use in the Chinese military from that date on.

The hilt is simple, the tang extends to a ring and in this case is scarf welded to the original swords tang, the ring end is simple and not a complete ring but more a closed hook, under the replaced dark red cotton wrap on the hilt there are 2 single slabs of wood that have been rebated and cover each one side of the tang, they are held in place with 2 steel wire wraps that have been set into a groove at the top and bottom of the wooden hilt and tightened by twisting, with the double layer of natural cotton cloth ribbon that has been wound tightly along the hilt length and around the ring it makes the whole hilt very strong, the guard is tight with no movement also.

I did the hilt wrap myself and used the same colour cotton and same width as the original and even purchased it from China, the old red cotton cloth tassel or scarf for want of a better word that is joined to the top ring of the sword is the original that was on the sword before the old rotten wrap was replaced.

The blade of the sword and the guard have both been oiled with Japanese choiji oil also.

Buyer contact me for postage costs please.