Palm Leaf Manuscript Foldable Stylus Knife

[JamesKelly]

I see there is writing on my knife. Cleaned the steel just a bit, with bronze wool and Johnson's Paste Wax (I did not want to get oil onto the ivory). It has a decorative silver strip inlaid on the back of both blades.

Ram, can you tell me if this is from mainland India, Sri Lanka, or somewhere else? Any chance the writing is legible? Part is scratched in, the second half looks like connected punch marks. I tried to make it more legible with a charcoal pencil, not much luck.

[olaicollector]

Originally Posted by JamesKelly

I see there is writing on my knife. Cleaned the steel just a bit, with bronze wool and Johnson's Paste Wax (I did not want to get oil onto the ivory). It has a decorative silver strip inlaid on the back of both blades.

Ram, can you tell me if this is from mainland India, Sri Lanka, or somewhere else? Any chance the writing is legible? Part is scratched in, the second half looks like connected punch marks. I tried to make it more legible with a charcoal pencil, not much luck.

WOW! That is one beautiful stylus. I wish mine had some inscription on it. I have looked and looked, but couldn't find one. Most of these type of styluses with inscriptions on them were targeted for upper class scribes as the cost was much higher, especially with ivory handles. Interpreting the inscription took a while as some of the characters are different from the ones used today. I would date it to somewhere around the late 1800s to early 1900s based on the script used. Here is what it looks using today's characters:

உறுசெ முரு

It basically translates to "uruce muru". Since the inscription seems to be different between the two words, I think the last part was added later. A name perhaps? Not familiar with it at all. I asked the Mrs (she grew up in India and studied there, whereas I am totally American) and she wasn't familiar with the inscription either.

These types of styluses were used in India and Sri Lanka, so it is difficult to pinpoint its exact origin. But the script is Tamil nonetheless.

Cheers & Great Find,

Ram

[olaicollector]

A while back, Michael Wood (Monty Python fame) had a PBS series called Story of India. In that segment, they were talking about Palm Leaf Manuscripts and how Indians used them to write. The video is posted below (it is less than 2 minutes long). If you watch, you can see the foldable stylus being used and how letters are inscribed onto the palm leaf. Notice also the "notch" on his left nail. It is used to guide the stylus while he writes. Furthermore, see how he is holding the stylus. This is so that pressure is added to the stylus and thus aiding in the writing process.

http://www.pbs.org/thestoryofindia/g...eaf_manuscript

Cheers,

Ram

[laEspadaAncha]

Originally Posted by olaicollector

A while back, Michael Wood (Monty Python fame) had a PBS series called Story of India...

Hi Ram,

LoL... I think you might have confused Michael Wood - British historian, broadcaster and host of that incredible documentary series - with former Monty Python member Michael Palin, who does indeed host his own travel show...

BTW, for anyone with even so much as a passing interest in the Indian subcontinent or even history in general, The Story of India is a "must see."

Cheers,
Chris

[olaicollector]

LOL...Yes, got my Michael mixed up..It is definitely NOT Palin

[olaicollector]

Well my package arrived and I literally got the mother lode! This is going to take some time to classify, take pictures, and analyze. However, there is one little gem that surprised me substantially and pictures are posted. How the hell do you use that as a stylus? Maybe for kids? Reminds me of the days when I used a tiny pencil to write with