Antique Oriental Chinese Dao Sword with Horn Hilt

A very nice oriental Chinese sword Dao or Dadao. These two handed cleavers were used for martial arts and for fighting, this earlier tyle handle is for two-handed use. The sword is uncleaned and retains its original painatiion which is unusual. The handle is made of two slabs of horn, beautifull carved with ribbing and pierced to take metal rivets, bronze mounts ot the top and bottom, and a lobed ovoid handguard. The blade light and robust perfectly balanced, with two fullers running along the back edge of the blade which sweeps up at the tip in typical dao style. An authentic antique sword dating to the 19th century or earlier. 34 inches long overall, the blade 24. Far East/China