{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O71866"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O71866/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2021MW1121/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2021MW1121/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2021MW1121","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O71866/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O71866","accessionNumber":"3305(IS)","objectType":"Parrying weapon","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"The '<i>sai</i>' was a form of parrying weapon most often associated with East Asian martial arts, but is also associated with self defence and domestic police forces well into the 19th century. The thick metal bar can be used like a truncheon. The two curved quillons are strong enough to parry a sword cut and can be used to disarm and sometimes even break a sword blade.","physicalDescription":"Chinese parrying dagger with a ribbed wooden hilt and thick quillons turned outwards and an octagonal tapering steel bar in place of a blade","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"steel","id":"AAT133751"},{"text":"wood","id":"AAT11914"}],"techniques":[{"text":"forged","id":"AAT54033"},{"text":"carved","id":"AAT53149"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Forged steel, carved wood","categories":[{"text":"Arms & Armour","id":"THES48992"},{"text":"India Museum","id":"THES286062"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"EAS","id":"THES48596"},"images":["2021MW1121"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"004","id":"THES364238"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Parrying weapon","id":""}],[{"text":"Sai","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"China","id":"x29398"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":"probably"}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"19th century","earliest":"1800-01-01","latest":"1900-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Length","value":"49","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"11.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"of guard","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"Part of a set of Chinese material on Loan to the India Museum (East India Company) from the Royal Asiatic Society. Transferred to South Kensington  Museum in 1879 and inventoried in 1880.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"(Sai) or Chinese parrying dagger with a ribbed wooden hilt and thick quillons turned outwards and an octagonal tapering steel bar in place of a blade. Ex India Museum (Royal Asiatic Society). Egerton 780-782; Chinese; Arms and armour","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Lord Egerton of Tatton, Indian and Oriental Armour, London, 1896, p. 145, Cat. No. 780-782"},{"reference":{"text":"Egerton, Wilbraham, <i>An illustrated handbook of Indian arms; being a classified and descriptive catalogue of the arms exhibited at the India museum: with an introductory sketch of the military history of India</i>, London, 1880","id":"AUTH353483"},"details":"p.145","free":""}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["3305(IS)"],"accessionNumberNum":"3305","accessionNumberPrefix":"","accessionYear":null,"otherNumbers":[{"type":{"text":"Egerton catalogue number","id":"THES50387"},"number":"780 to 782"},{"type":{"text":"India Museum Slip Book","id":"THES50388"},"number":"12,594"},{"type":{"text":"Incorrect number","id":"THES54053"},"number":"M.219-1935"}],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-24","recordCreationDate":"2002-12-11","availableToBook":true}}