Indian? Decorated serrated sickle (worth a look)

[Tim Simmons]

First page on googling "Nepalese antique sickle"-

http://www.bluelotusgallery.com/antiques

I have see much better examples for sale on other sites.

[Emanuel]

Hello,

On first impression I would say Nepal as well, a hansiya ("hanshee" - what lambendh khukri used to be mistakenly called).
The handle brings to mind Afghan work on choora and lohar. Perhaps a border piece

The construction on this piece is very odd. The blade's orientation seems to be 90 degrees off and its connection to the hilt is even stranger. The hilt has a strip running along its length as if to emphasize it is made of two scales, and yet there is a nut on the but as if the tang is screwed all the way through. Would be nice to see this taken apart.
Given that only the top part of the hilt is decorated with brass, and the blade is so oddly attached on the underside, it seems to me that it was carried or showed off in this manner, not actually held and used...speculation.

Here's a pic of a hansiya, note the finely serrated edge.

All the best,
Emanuel

[Emanuel]

Here's another hansiya, this time it looks very similar to the one discussed, although the handle is hidden.

[KuKulzA28]

I don't know too much about sickles, but in my limited experience on farms and in the fields... harvesting sickles tend to have serrations for tearing through vegetation, and tend to have a blade offset from the handle and horizontal, making it easy to cut low to the ground with a flick of the wrist.

This has both of those features, but like you all said - it's very high quality looking...

Please don't be disappointed that it's a glorified working tool. Remember it meant something real important to someone, and it is definitely an important part of these people's history. Agriculture must have been important and support this society. No food support-base to the society, and what weapons would you be collecting? They'd all be starving and dying - not much weapons manufacture if you're dying. In my opinion, it's a nice thing to have if you have the space.

[Atlantia]

Originally Posted by KuKulzA28

I don't know too much about sickles, but in my limited experience on farms and in the fields... harvesting sickles tend to have serrations for tearing through vegetation, and tend to have a blade offset from the handle and horizontal, making it easy to cut low to the ground with a flick of the wrist.

This has both of those features, but like you all said - it's very high quality looking...

Please don't be disappointed that it's a glorified working tool. Remember it meant something real important to someone, and it is definitely an important part of these people's history. Agriculture must have been important and support this society. No food support-base to the society, and what weapons would you be collecting? They'd all be starving and dying - not much weapons manufacture if you're dying. In my opinion, it's a nice thing to have if you have the space.

Hi KukulzA28,

Thanks, its an interesting thing for sure. I just hate not knowing all the 'wheres and whens' lol

[Atlantia]

Bump to see if anyone has any further thoughts

[Billman]

Yes this is an an Indian sickle - modern ones are sometimes found in the UK, presumably exported as samples along with cheap Indian made billhooks etc..

Modern ones are often made with a thin blade with a serrated edge (c.f. a wide hacksaw blade) rivetted to a mild steel spine (c.f. the rivetted English scythe blade, as compared to the original 100% forged ones).

Yours appears very ornate, but still a working tool, rather than ceremonial... Indian women often used ornate tools. The fine serrations indicate it is probably for rice, gather in the handful and sliced off to avoid losing the grains during harvest... European and Moroccon sickles have coarser serrations, but achieve the same effect...

They can be found listed on many Indain tool manufacturers' web pages, e.g. http://www.esuppliersindia.com/products/sickles.html or http://www.indiamart.com/ganpatimeta.../products.html

Similar (same??) tool called a royal sickle on http://defenceforumindia.com/showthr...?t=7479&page=2

[Atlantia]

Originally Posted by Emanuel

Here's another hansiya, this time it looks very similar to the one discussed, although the handle is hidden.

Hi Emanuel,

Thats interesting, it does look like it might have the 'bird neck' that mine has.........

Here are some more pictures of the handle on mine.
You are right, the handle is pinned at 90degrees to the blade, as indicated by the added arrows in the picture.

[Atlantia]

Originally Posted by Tim Simmons

First page on googling "Nepalese antique sickle"-

http://www.bluelotusgallery.com/antiques

I have see much better examples for sale on other sites.

LOL, I didn't mean I couldn't find any sickles, just not one like this one. ITs the weird handle thats throwing me...


Right, back now. Sorry mate.

Yeah, I could find nepalese Sickles, but they 'tend' to look like rice sickles, and be fairly conventional, have you seen any with the same weird handle mine's got?