I agree that these are probably from Kerala. However, very similar knives also come from Rajastahn and nearby areas of northern India. Both Kerala and northern Indian knives of this form usually have "T" spines to the blades. Examples from Rajastahn are seen quite commonly on eBay and are often offered by dealers located in Rajastahn or nearby.
Can anyone definitively distinguish differences in these knives from the two regions? The one thing I have noticed is the small "notch" towards the end of the hilt (as seen on these two knives) that would appear to serve as a rest for the little finger--this seems to be a Kerala feature, but I am not sure about that.
Ian
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