Questions About a Curious Kukri

sirupate · 25th March 2005, 09:56 AM

Reckon you could well be right there Vet, some sort of Sirupate/Langapate Villager?

Cheers Simon

spiral · 25th March 2005, 02:34 PM

Hi Derek,

Well you have the advantage of bieng able to handle the brass kothimara, whearas I am just looking at the picture.

Those symbols are certanly used by the Nepali army units. So it is possible.

The measurments you gave Simon , sound the same as I would expect for the ww1 mk 2 rather than the 1st kukri {probably ww2} in your photograph, which ,I guess looks shorter because of perspective?

Thats an intresting villager kukri knife you have there, these are the nearest thing Ive come across to that style. They seem a rare vairety.

These are all well made & carved but the top one is exceptionaly good carving when handled.

These all have an unusual rounded edge, rather flat spine , instead of the usual peaked variety.

Obviously thier handles are also distinctive as leaping dragons or possibly lions. {the top one has leads from its nostrils in the manner of some Chinese dragoons.{could be a chinthe perhaps?}

The top one is very old, while the 2 lower ones are certainly 20th century.

Thier lengths are 12,11 & 8 inches respectivly, so the largest is an inch & a half shorter than yours. The small one could pass as a large Karda although it obviously has a full bolster.

The fact that 3 of such similar design have turned up, with probaly an age span of over 100 years implys a definate style, probably made within a particular localised region.

Is the spine peaked on your one? it looks very similar blade concept.
only real differance is the grip.

Spiral

derek · 25th March 2005, 07:35 PM

Tom,

You have a knack for making visual associations. It does like a big chakmak or karda (don't remember which is what).

Regarding the spine of the blade -- it is completely flat. In fact, the blade is generally thinner than most Kukris I've seen.

By the way, those are fantastic hilts! They remind a little bit of the kastane's grip. Mine would definitely be the "working stiff's" version compared to those.

Thanks for sharing those. BTW, have you heard the term "Madras" applied to those before?

-d

spiral · 25th March 2005, 10:51 PM

Well Derek, Thank you for the compliment about the hilts, The top one is incredible, the others are nice but not the same level of skill.

As yours has a flat blade spine as well as the same general blade shape, it seems a possible that it comes from the same region. My 2 scabbards wear no loops, buttons or pouches for smaller knives, tinder etc, & clearly never have. Is this the same with yours?

Madras knife? Well all us collectors are living proof of how much weapons can move about. But I dont think they have much to do with Madras, The top one came from Auckland NZ , So I could call it a an Auckland knife, With some but not complete accuracy!

Actualy to be candid they seem to probably be from north west Nepal, near the Tibet border, in what I understand is an area closed to most westerners, by the Nepali army. {or it used to be anyway.} { hence the populations poverty & the rareness of the these knives perhaps?}

The middle one was given to an English teacher in the northen Humla district, on the day she left,by a old man of the Bhotia tribe after she had helped set up an education programe there.{It failed as the parents prefered the children to help work the crops.} She thought it was similar to other kukri she saw there.

Humla is probably the poorest district in Nepal & the majority of the northen Humla villages are Bhudhist. I think many of the people have partial Tibetan ancestry, many Tibetans & some Sherpas also live there,along with a small minority of "high class" Hindus of the Chetri class in some villages.

Thats part of my reason for thinking the dragon head is perhaps a Chinthe. {which I understand is a Budhist temple gaurdian, {coincedently its the same animal that my fathers army unit took for there badge in Burma. {The Chindits.}

So personaly I would classl these, possibly yours & certainly mine as quite probably Humla region Bhotia made kukris probably with Budhist & possibly even some slight Tibetan influnce. {Any Tibetan experts in the house?}

I Would be delighted to hear of anywhere else they have turned up. most kukri collectors Ive spoken to dont seem to have come across them.

Spiral

25th March 2005, 02:34 PM	#2
spiral Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 1,712	Hi Derek, Well you have the advantage of bieng able to handle the brass kothimara, whearas I am just looking at the picture. Those symbols are certanly used by the Nepali army units. So it is possible. The measurments you gave Simon , sound the same as I would expect for the ww1 mk 2 rather than the 1st kukri {probably ww2} in your photograph, which ,I guess looks shorter because of perspective? Thats an intresting villager kukri knife you have there, these are the nearest thing Ive come across to that style. They seem a rare vairety. These are all well made & carved but the top one is exceptionaly good carving when handled. These all have an unusual rounded edge, rather flat spine , instead of the usual peaked variety. Obviously thier handles are also distinctive as leaping dragons or possibly lions. {the top one has leads from its nostrils in the manner of some Chinese dragoons.{could be a chinthe perhaps?} The top one is very old, while the 2 lower ones are certainly 20th century. Thier lengths are 12,11 & 8 inches respectivly, so the largest is an inch & a half shorter than yours. The small one could pass as a large Karda although it obviously has a full bolster. The fact that 3 of such similar design have turned up, with probaly an age span of over 100 years implys a definate style, probably made within a particular localised region. Is the spine peaked on your one? it looks very similar blade concept. only real differance is the grip. Spiral Attached Images Last edited by spiral; 25th March 2005 at 07:16 PM.

25th March 2005, 10:51 PM	#4
spiral Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 1,712	Well Derek, Thank you for the compliment about the hilts, The top one is incredible, the others are nice but not the same level of skill. As yours has a flat blade spine as well as the same general blade shape, it seems a possible that it comes from the same region. My 2 scabbards wear no loops, buttons or pouches for smaller knives, tinder etc, & clearly never have. Is this the same with yours? Madras knife? Well all us collectors are living proof of how much weapons can move about. But I dont think they have much to do with Madras, The top one came from Auckland NZ , So I could call it a an Auckland knife, With some but not complete accuracy! Actualy to be candid they seem to probably be from north west Nepal, near the Tibet border, in what I understand is an area closed to most westerners, by the Nepali army. {or it used to be anyway.} { hence the populations poverty & the rareness of the these knives perhaps?} The middle one was given to an English teacher in the northen Humla district, on the day she left,by a old man of the Bhotia tribe after she had helped set up an education programe there.{It failed as the parents prefered the children to help work the crops.} She thought it was similar to other kukri she saw there. Humla is probably the poorest district in Nepal & the majority of the northen Humla villages are Bhudhist. I think many of the people have partial Tibetan ancestry, many Tibetans & some Sherpas also live there,along with a small minority of "high class" Hindus of the Chetri class in some villages. Thats part of my reason for thinking the dragon head is perhaps a Chinthe. {which I understand is a Budhist temple gaurdian, {coincedently its the same animal that my fathers army unit took for there badge in Burma. {The Chindits.} So personaly I would classl these, possibly yours & certainly mine as quite probably Humla region Bhotia made kukris probably with Budhist & possibly even some slight Tibetan influnce. {Any Tibetan experts in the house?} I Would be delighted to hear of anywhere else they have turned up. most kukri collectors Ive spoken to dont seem to have come across them. Spiral Last edited by spiral; 25th March 2005 at 11:35 PM.

25th March 2005, 09:56 AM	#1
sirupate Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: England Posts: 373	Reckon you could well be right there Vet, some sort of Sirupate/Langapate Villager? Cheers Simon

25th March 2005, 07:35 PM	#3
derek Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 215	Tom, You have a knack for making visual associations. It does like a big chakmak or karda (don't remember which is what). Regarding the spine of the blade -- it is completely flat. In fact, the blade is generally thinner than most Kukris I've seen. By the way, those are fantastic hilts! They remind a little bit of the kastane's grip. Mine would definitely be the "working stiff's" version compared to those. Thanks for sharing those. BTW, have you heard the term "Madras" applied to those before? -d