Antique Chinese Dao sword Qing Dynasty

A large Chinese sword ‘dao’. Large steel blade with twin fullers to the rear edge and chiselled motif of a dragon to the forte on both sides. The hilt mounted with pierced brass repeating the intertwined dragon design, the oval hand guard with a reinforced rim. The grip bound with blue dyed cotton, a hole near the pommel for taking a strap lanyard, the pommel ovoid and chiselled and pierced ensuite. The scabbard covered with hide and mounted with pierced dragon decorated bronze, one hanging loop lacking. Dating to the later 19th century.  far east