Kukri

[Tatyana Dianova]

I got this Kukri from ebay. It seems to be of very good quality: the blade is pattern welded (it has really many layers) and has an inserted edge. The handle is made of steel and is beautifully chiseled. There is still a red paint present in decorative grooves and marks. The seller claimed that this kukri dates from around the mid 1850s, and the blade is stamped with the Maharaja of Nepal armory stamp, the half crescent. I would like to know more about this one, its age, its markings, etc.

[spiral]

Very Nice kukri Tatyana, I seem to recall I was a bidder as well! But times were hard so I didnt win.

I couldnt date it accuratley, most steel handles seem late 19th to around 1925 in manufacture. The decoration of blade is older in style & quality, but skillful kami could copy older styles. But yes it could possibly be as early as 1850/60 i think. Its definatly a good one.

its Indian made not Nepalese I am sure.

What did you use to etch it?

The crescent mark is sometimes refered to as Nepali officers or Armoury mark. They may wel have used such marks, but none have shown up in provinaced examples to date from Nepal. Personlay same as the Kaudi I think it is typical of other Hindu arms & is of Spiritual or religios significance to protect the kukri & its user from the malevolent spirits that are attracted to bloodshed & violence.

The kaudi shape is often interpreted as based on Christian cross & is seen on many British officers private purchase kukri, but I would say its actualy a Peacock kaudi which has many meanings in Hinduism including bieng symbolick of the God of war.

Congratulations on a great kukri!

Spiral

[Battara]

wonderful piece - congratulations and thank you for sharing this. If this weren't steel I would swear the hilt were some type of silver or white metal with that kind of detailed work - you don't see it that much in steel.

Say Spiral, are damascus pieces rarer?

[ariel]

Tatiana,
You have great taste! Beautiful kukri.
I am particularly intrigued by the red paint: we can see it on Japanese naginatas and I have an Afghani pulouar with it.
The easiest explanation is the imitation of blood, of course. Why is it so rare in most cultures? Any alternative explanation?

[inveterate]

Hi Tatyana, Thank you for sharing such a nice Kukri, a few other Steel Grips. Rod[IMG]

[Ferguson]

Beautiful! Now this is one of the reasons I love this place. Such beauty and workmanship. Just wonderful.
Steve

[spiral]

Originally Posted by Battara

Say Spiral, are damascus pieces rarer?

Yes they are rarer indeed, but i think there more of them out there than we often realise. Most old kukris seem to have been cleaned with abrasives or polished & that hides laminations usualy.

Some may be shear steel rather than deliberatly patterned.

Always a nice feature though!

Spiral

[Tatyana Dianova]

Thank you all for the kind words! The swords (and people too) love the compliments But we really should praise the creator(s) of this beautiful piece.
Thank you Spiral for the information, it answered many my questions. I have etched it with phosphoric acid, very lightly, so that the layers are seen only under certain angle. I didn't want that the etching mess with the kukri's beautiful geometry and fullers. Do you know, Spiral, how it could be looking originally, maybe the layers were not seen at all (not etched)? Do you know the meaning of the red paint?
I didn't knew it was a pattern welded steel until I have tested it with acid. The blade and the handle were quite dirty and rusty in some places (I have added the original seller's pictures).
The funny thing is that I was the ONLY bidder for this kukri. I gave exactly the start price on the last seconds of the auction and was VERY surprised and happy when I have won it Well, I think I was lucky...

[Tim Simmons]

Tatyana your eye is very good. A handsome weapon. Seeing the before and after pictures I think Battara is right. The decorated part of the handle is a white metal, I suspect it is a zinc alloy of some kind able to take braising as there appears to be a yellow line in the handle. I also think Spiral is correct in his first opinion as to origin and age.

[spiral]

Thankyouy Tatyana, my memory must be at fault, perhaps i just thought of bidding! I think it was about 4 months ago? You did well. Its a very nice kukri.

I suspect the red paint is of Religous or spiritual meaning, red powders, spices ar scattered widley during Hindu celebrations & sacraficial festivals I understand. one sees it commonly on sacraficial kora.

I think the kukri of such subtle patterns was peraps not originaly etched, but just made in the manner of shear steel to do an efficent job, But truly i dont know. I am just speculating.

Tim Lots of these do have steel handles its also usual for them to be braised . A quick magnet test by Tatyana would confirm one way or another of course. Ornate white handles are not common, embosed & engraved Steel is much commoner & of course requires greater skill to work &
far more resistant to denting etc.

Spiral

[Tim Simmons]

There may be degrees of hardness but skill is applyed any metal not metals to skills.

[Tatyana Dianova]

Tim, the handle is really made of steel - have you ever seen a rusted zinc alloy??? And there was a LOT of red rust under all this dirt on the handle (well, you may see some rust on original pictures too). What is even more interesting, the steel on the handle is well hardened: I have used very hard dentist instruments for cleaning the hundred year old dirt from the handle, and they hardly left any scratches. I don't know, if the hardening was made before or after the decoration work...
I have also tested the handle with a magnet a minute ago - yes, it is steel!
The yellow (brass) connection lines you may see also on some other steel handles, for example on 2 Afghani pulouars I have.

[spiral]

Sure Tim anyone who did that work even if it was in a bar or soap is very skilled but Ive watched modern kami used to making brass & white metal fittings, then make them in steel, it took infinatly longer & they seemed to require much greater concentration.

Different mediums work differently, carving pear wood is very different from carving greenheart for instance.

Thanks for confirming its steel Tatyana.

Spiral

[Tatyana Dianova]

Spiral, this auction was in December 2007, I'll send you the link in the private message

[Tim Simmons]

Tatyana I do beg your pardon if I am wrong. I can only form ideas through a PC. I have to add that zinc is not a denigration of the item it is in fact the opposite, a sign of quality having been used as a decorative white metal in the east thousands of years before it was smelted in western Europe. Please try the magnet test as it does look so different from the blade and I am the second to dare mention so.

[Tatyana Dianova]

Spiral, I cannot send you a message at the moment - it seems that you have exceeded your limit for the incoming messages

[spiral]

Originally Posted by Tatyana Dianova

Tim, the handle is really made of steel - have you ever seen a rusted zinc alloy???
I have also tested the handle with a magnet a minute ago - yes, it is steel!
The yellow (brass) connection lines you may see also on some other steel handles, for example on 2 Afghani pulouars I have.

Tim read Tatyanas last post again!

O well Tatyana if that was december it must have been pre. Christmas, that seems a long time ago now!

message room cleared!

Spiral

[Tatyana Dianova]

Tim, no need to apologise - the pictures may be very deceiving. The blade was polished and etched, and the handled was only cleaned with sharp tools and Flitz. There is still dirt and patina hiding in the decoration. That's why it look different on the pictures, but if you would hold it in your hand, you will see immediately that it is steel. And yes, I have made the magnet test (POSITIVE!), as I have already mentioned

[Tim Simmons]

Yes I keep looking. I still see no rust on the decorative part. Perhaps Tatyana could provide more pictures? the different hue is all I can see? I am not trying to say zinc is lesser the exact opposite in fact.

[Tatyana Dianova]

Tim, sorry, I have removed the red rust and cannot make its picture for you

[spiral]

Ask Inveterate Tim hes had loads of steel ones, in kukris whte metal grips are much rarer & less well made.

Steel is best in kukris & Personly if Tatyana says a magnet sticks I belive it . Perhaps you are mistaking the chemical cleaning patina for white metal?

After all nearly all grips like this are steel. I seem to recall you had a steel one with silver plate added?

Spiral

[Tim Simmons]

Fairy Nuff

[spiral]

[inveterate]

Tim, I have more than a dozen, Steel handled Kukri, White metal as a grip is somewhat rare amongst Kukri (I have seen one) strangely enough it is somewhat more common as a bolster material. Cheers Rod

[Battara]

The steel used I would think was thin soft sheet steel or at least annealed steel. Very haed on steel tools used. The act of working the steel automatically hardens tbe steel. No need for heat hardening.

Amazing work!

[Andreas Volk]

Hello Tatyana!
Sorry to be late on this amazing piece with m congratulations. I think I remember that ebay listing as well (and before christmas I'm always tight on budget ).
I'd like to second spirals opinion that this of indian make - not nepelase - something I actually believe of most of the "armoury" kukris I came accross.

While the crescent moon is a national symbol of Nepal I doubt that this mark whenever it appears points to the Armoury of the Maharaja of Nepal.

So I still search for some pointers why it apperas on so many steel handled and the decorated horn handled pieces.

Originally Posted by spiral

.... I couldnt date it accuratley, most steel handles seem late 19th to around 1925 in manufacture. The decoration of blade is older in style & quality, but skillful kami could copy older styles. But yes it could possibly be as early as 1850/60 i think.

Thanks a lot spiral; I'd also say that most of the (few) steel handled ones I handled are "arround 1900 or early 20th cent.) - but looking at the overall shape of this particular blade (slightly slimmer than those massive armouries, slight less shoulder and the curve inside the handle) I personally would think a post 1900 heritage very unlikely - otherwise this kami would have made a vry amazing "copy job".
If I recall correctly Inveterate owns an steel handled lamebendh with provenance that points to the Sepoy riots of 1857/58.
So my guess on this piece (and it is no more) would be 1860s to 1890s.

As I'm travelling at the moment I don't have my copy of Elgood's "Hindu Arms and Ritual" at hand - when back home I'll check what he has to say concerning the red paint.

Again - my congratulations on uncovering some kukri treasure. Thanks for sharing it with us !!

best regards

Andreas

[ariel]

Tatyana,
You seem to amass rather nice ( understatement of the year!) pieces in your collection and did it quietly.
Can you show us more?
I think we are in for a great surprise and a lot of "o-o-ohs"
Anybody here seconds the motion?

[Battara]

I'll third it......oh wait.......yeah I'll second it!

[Tatyana Dianova]

Well, Ariel, this time it seems to be a flattery and not just a compliment I really do not have many pieces, and most of them were already introduced on this Forum. Other items in my collection (well, I do not consider it a real collection - for me it is a simple room decoration) seem to be more common and not so interesting to other forum members. But each of them has a story to tell - I can feel it when taking them in my hands and seeing their scars and this is exactly what I love about them and their beauty too, of course. But a rarity or a collector's value is not so important to me.
And please do not ask me to surprise you every time, otherwise it will not be possible for me to show more common pieces and to ask my questions about them

[Tatyana Dianova]

I want to thank you all again for the kind words!
Rod, can you please show the whole kukris, whose handles you have shown? Especially interesting to me is a kukri with a long handle.