19th century Laotian Dha sword. Horn and 18ct gold filigree hilt set with clear stones. Hand-forged single edged curved blade. Silver covered wooden scabbard. Length 110 cm (in scabbard). Provenance: Estates late Adolphe and Asra Alexander, a German-Thai couple involved with architecture, interior design and import-export merchant trading, initially operating in Bangkok they moved to Brisbane in 1960. Asra was the daughter of a German merchant living in Thailand whose company imported luxury European goods, and (with Royal warrant) counted the Thai palace among their customers. Thence by descent. Private collection, Canberra.