Great River Taoist Center Forums

There are general benchmarks and "rules of thumb" to go by but no one factor that will pin down a date of manufacture to, say, a quarter-century. Some factors to consider: 1. Patina (old corrosion and oxidation) on the tang. An older blade tends to have more and deeper rusting on the tang. When bran...

Hi, Gav The yanyuedao in the pic looks to be a magnificent example. From the way it's appointed (the ornate treatment of the ferrule and "guard", and the seven stars inlays on the blade) I'd say that this example might be more ceremonial than utilitarian even though the blade may be fairly stout. If...

Linda, Peter True, Qing iron helmets with engraved decoration are not common, but you might want to compare with an early Qing example now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art (acc # 1997.18, purchase, Bashford Dean Memorial Collection). The visor, browplate, and baogai are gilt and engraved with Buddh...

Hi, Linda Sorry I've been away from the forum a bit, am catching up on things. Congratulations on the helmet, it is a very nice find! What is the gauge of the iron plate forming the shell? From the shape of the baogai (the dome shaped top piece that the plumeholder fits into) this is probably a patt...

I was not asked by Josh to remove the hilt when I did the polish.

The dragons may be rendered in Ming style, but the overall format of the hardware is Qing. There are three works of art in the Metro. Mus. of Art which depict the "classic" Ming style of jian hilts, with flaring, wing-like guards, and pommels which are larger than the Qing style and which are perfor...

There is considerable variety in fullering design on Chinese blades. I've commented before on some interesting designs influenced by India and Middle Eastern cultures. As to your question on asymmetrical fullering (each side of the blade being different), I have seen examples in which this is the ca...

The use of jian in a military context faded away during the Ming Dynasty. This weapon was supplanted by single-edged weapons (dao), in various configurations so that by the mid-18th cent., jian were not listed in the Qing regulations governing standard patterns of hilt weapons. Furthermore, the use ...

Some info on the subject FYI 1. Other scabbard coverings were used on high quality jian during the Qing. They include lacquer, leather, cloisonne metal sleeves, etc. Scabbards were of course also made of rosewood, although modern sword connoisseurs should be aware that hardwoods are prone to damagin...

It's hazardous to generalize about the characteristics (edge hardness, resiliency, etc) of steels used in antique blades of any culture or period. Simply because in a pre-industrial age, the materials used varied in their characteristics, since there tended to be a multitude of relatively small loca...

I've seen these on occasion as well, usually in partial state of preservation since when rust does begin (in areas where the surface is chipped or abraded to bare metal) it can spread under the lacquer or paint and hasten its peeling or flaking. I agree with Mr. Dennee, rust prevention and glare sup...

Epoxy adhesives (commonly available as a dual combo of adhesive and hardening agent that are mixed in equal quantities) typically release (un-bond) at just above 200 degrees F. Gentle heating of the metal parts with a torch, or immersion of the hilt for a period in boiling water, are useful remedies...

Josh, you are correct in saying societies often change their perception of what is normative, desirable, or acceptable over time. Contrast the earthiness of Elizabethan England which extended even up into "high" society with the carefully-cultivated propriety and prudishness of the Victorian age. Al...

Peter, Confucius, in our modern eyes, might appear to have been an Uncle Fudd, but read his Analects (Lun Yu) and he apparently was, like many in his social class, a lover of competitive and outdoor sports. He muses at one point at whether he should devote more effort to archery or chariot-driving. ...

Peter raises an interesting point. I haven't found any reference to significant use of throwing-spears or javelins in Chinese military practice; if other readers can provide evidence either from period texts or depictions in art, please post the info. I would explain this supposed dearth of spear-th...