Hello,
Although this site is primarily dedicated to Western arms, I thought there might be someone here who would be interested in having a crack at this item before I post it on eBay. Genuine Chinese double swords are pretty rare, especially double daos (Shuangdao) which are extremely rare. One is much more likely to come across double straight swords. I purchased this particular example a number of years ago from a reputable dealer in the UK. The swords are in reasonable shape for being genuine Qing dynasty. The hilts are very tight, although the guards rattle a little, and on one of them the seams are coming apart a bit. The horn grips are in excellent shape. The blades have the scratches, pitting and small nicks that one might expect from a sword that has been around for awhile and seen some actual use. The scabbard is sound, if somewhat tight, and on one side, down towards the end a 6 &1/4". section of the rayskin covering has been scraped away. The damage is more cosmetic than structural. Other than that, the rayskin is in great shape - clean and supple. The swords handle very well and are quite fast and maneuverable. They are not especially long but I suppose that could be an advantage when wielding two blades as you are less likely to get in your own way with the shorter blades. In general, it does seem that many historical Chinese swords tend to be on the shorter side in comparison with the average western sword. The overall length of each sword is 25&1/4". The blades are 19&3/4". The length in scabbard is 27&3/4".
I am asking $975.00 + postage for this piece. Pristine examples are usually in the $1800.00 to $2000.00 + range. Genuine Shuangdao in any condition are not easy to come by.
PayPal is good. Certified Bank Check is also good. If you are interested contact me and we will figure out the postage.
All the Best,
Steve
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