A nice quality late 19th century Vietnamese ‘Guom’ sword. The blade of very good weight steel, strong and high quality, chiselled designs to the forte and tip, and lightly fullered to both sides and also a chiselled fuller along its back spine for rigidity. The hilt with finely carved bone or ivory grip, brass mounts and a dragon head pommel. The sheath of hardwood beautifully inlaid and carved with mother of pearl shell depicting dragons among clouds. The scabbard mounts brass and copper with some twisted borders. Good condition, some repair to shell loss. Overall length 36 inches, blade length 25 inches. far east, southern asia