A rather special kukri.{IMHO}

[spiral]

Well I recieved this kukri from fellow forumite John Powell this week & thought I would share it with you guys .

Although its not all fancy damascus & gold, personaly I have always thought of it as the perfect kukri, & the pinnacle of his collection for lines & overal quality.

And I know John belives its of a quality equal to any bladed weapon of any type hes ever seen.






upon opening the box, I could instanly see & feel why he was of that opinion..

It was one of the kukris dearest & nearest to his heart so I am greatfull that when the he felt it was the time to pass it on he wanted me to have it. {for the suitable recompense of course.} Its good for both of us, for me to have a suitable piece from "The Powell collection." {especialy this one.}

After studing it it for many hours over the past 2 days including 9x lens examination of every piece of workmanship on it I have to say I can only say it is perfection in steel.

Its clearly English made, I would think most likely in London by a gunsmith/cutler .

It reminds me of the best Holland & Holland or Purdy type work.

It is well balanced & moves very well, the grip would be tough for treefelling but provides excelent grip if involved one was involved in wetter work.

It rings like a bell over the majority of the blade.

If civilisation collasped tommorow & I had to go venturing with just one kukri on my belt, this would have to be it.

Anyway heres a few of my snaps & a few of Johns photographs, which between them might show at least a small part of its beuty.

I am very proud to have this peace from the Powell collection.

Respect to John indeed.

I realise it wont be to evryones taste, but I am truly over the moon with it.

All comments, thoughts, questians & critisicms welcome.

Spiral

[spiral]

[mross]

Very nice. Khuks from the JP collection are top notch.

[Jens Nordlunde]

What a lovely kukri - congratulations.

Jens

[Ian]

What a gorgeous piece of work. Outstanding checkering in the hilt. Top notch work that you would expect to find on a superlative shot gun or rifle.

But Spiral you forgot to tell us about Nahan Sirmoor. Nahan is the capital of the princely state of Sirmoor in the old Indian NW Territory. It was also a man's name. What do you think this inscription means?

Ian.

[spiral]

Thanks guys. it is a good one.

The steel hilt checkering is 21 lines to an inch.

Ian Ive only had it for 48 hours & so my opinions & thoughts are still forming. I havent researched on it yet or taken it to the various old time gunsmiths , engineers, English cutlery collectors {including English Bowies etc.} whos opinion I look forward to & may realisticly I may never be able to get to the botton line with it

But I have a few possibilities & thoughts I can happily share.

I didnt know Nahan was a mans name? It is certanly a Persian surname that was carried to & left in India as a surname as well & possibly is where the city of Nahan derieved its name perhaps? { Pure conjecture on my part.]


It is known that the Sirmoor rifles commisend 3 London made commerative kukri in 1880 & they were founded in Nahan Sirmoor in 1815, but I dont think it is one of those as it carries nothing to signfy the 2 G.R. regiment symbol wise & by 1880 they were no longer based in Nahan, so it seems unlikly it is one of those pieces.But that is just my intial thought & reaction.

So realy I cant say I have an answear.

There are a few other kukris about that attempt to follow this ones style but they are all clearly of Indian workmanship & in my opinion { & that of JP whos had several of them.} they dont realy come close to this one in quality or finese.

which came first though is an intresting questian, did an English firm copy an Indian kukri or did the Indian lohars copy an English one?

There were no new mararajahs coming to power in 1880 in Nahan {Many of the Indian Mararajahs were schooled & trained at Eton , Rugby, Sandhurst etc. in England & orderd custom guns & knives from English manufacturers when here or after they returned to rule the princly states.}


I feel that as the apparently English maker didnt put his name on it it was probably made to the order of a very powerfull as well as rich person who probably wasnt born in England. But that is just my fantasy with no evidence to back it up.


Other than that all I can say is I think it was a gift or special order made to commerate a person, time or event in Nahan in Sirmoor in 1880. I dont think the man who carved the commeration made the kukri. so the kukri might be slightly older perhaps? But other than that there not much I can add, at the time bieng, or possibly ever.


But I would happily welcome any info, thoughts or opinions you or others may wish to share.

Spiral

[Bill M]

I held this khuk in John's apartment. It was a memorable experience. Spiral is right.

Absolutely right. Perfection in steel.

[B.I]

Originally Posted by Bill Marsh

I held this khuk in John's apartment. It was a memorable experience.

Me too!
it is a fantastic piece and one i know john thought highly of. it has all the asthetics i look for in a piece, and any gilt adornment would have ruined it. well done!

[mross]

Spiral,
The more I look at it, the more I like it. The lines and curves look like they where cut yesterday. It is truely and awesome piece and very worthy of the center piece of any collection, even a museum.
Mike

[spiral]

Thanks guys, I am glad you have handled it Bill, B.I , a lot of people must have been impresed by it in the last 126 years I guess. I still am!

Thanks Mross! Yes the Gurkha museam would have loved to get this one, thats for shore.

Spiral