An exceptional Vietnamese Guom.
On of the best Guom types that we have handled. Whilst there is a minor lack of condition to the mother of pearl (MOP) grip inlay, this Guom features many aspects not typically found being the fine combinations of mother of pearl to the hilt, the fine raised silverwork to the guard and a blade of exceptional heft and quality for the sword type.
In its scabbard, this example measures 94cms in, 84cms out and has a blade length of 67cms.
The hilt is certainly the rarest aspect of this sword. It is carved from a very fine dark timber and inlaid with exceptional skill. The border around the floral inaly is the finest workmanship of mother of Pearl on a weapon that I have had the pleasure of handling. Not only the quality of the inlay stands out, but the quality of the materials used in the inlay all have a very fine luminous quality to them.
The pommel is a repousse silver lions face with a mane of MOP running down the back of the grip. The collar at the fore grip is also repousse silver with floral design elements.
The thick copper guard displays thick applied silver borders, raised silver floral and copper cloud motifs to the grip side, whilst the blade side shows inlaid copper, silver and bronze motifs to either side of the blade and inlaid silver cloud motifs to the edges. Atop of the guard is a very fine silver spacer or sepa as it would be known on a Japanese katana. The edges of this spacer appear to be stylistic representations of the cloud motifs.
The base of the blade is encased in a silver tonkou. The blade itself has a thick spine, a single fuller transitioning in to multiple fullers, fine distal taper through to the tip and cutting edge and a fine hardened edge that can be clearly seen in hand.
The forte and end of the blade display simple incised floral motifs.
The scabbard is of typical design and form being bound in three repousse silver sections and MOP inlay in the exposed timber panels.
The silver suspension fittings and drag are embellished with dragons writhing within floral vegetation whilst the inlaid timbers between display butterflies within extremely fine MOP vines and floral motifs.
An exceptional and very rare example of a Vietnamese Guom, one that carries a very fine and capable blade type.
