Puukko Question

[A. G. Maisey]

My principal interest is the Javanese keris, but I do have an interest in a lot of other things as well, one of those other things is puukko knives.

Here is one that I'm a bit puzzled by.

The blade is a Gallus, I've had a few of these over the years, and I think I currently have another couple of them apart from this one. But this knife shown has a custom hilt and scabbard. The metal is good quality silver, the hilt is wood.

The embossed scabbard motif is a dragon.

I am puzzled by the figure shown in the hilt carving, it appears to be some sort of mythical monster with fangs and two tongues. I have thought that Grendel from Beowulf might be a candidate, but maybe there are multiple Scandinavian monsters that are similar.

Does anybody have any suggestions?

[kronckew]

Scaled up would make a nice prow for a Viking longship the full frontal shows just below the hands, what looks like the stem of a longship with the bow wave.

I note the 'scales' looked like a scale armour hauberk, the head/forearms/hands don't have them. looks like it's wearing a helmet with a rear neck guard too. Bushy eyebrows? Stuff coming out of it's mouth could be dragon fire rather than a split tongue.

Dragons/Serpents/Wurm frequently had forked tongues...So did people.

Yours has hands cupping scaly breasts, maybe this is her after she shaved off her moustache?

[fernando]

Is that the best of you, Wayne ?
Honestly

[mariusgmioc]

Hello Alan,

My best guess would be Jormungandr, the Midgard serpent.

But the knife doesn't look Finnish to me.

The Finnish puukko is quite simple, even the high end/dress pieces. Moreover, the typical puukko has no ricasso, with the edge going all the way to the hilt/ front bolster.

However, even for a Norwegian knife it is rather unusual due to its lavishly carved hilt and sheath. The style of the carving and decoration on the sheath also doesn't look very "Norse" to me. Special, less traditional order?!

But just my two cents...

[kronckew]

Originally Posted by fernando

Is that the best of you, Wayne ?
Honestly

I'm having an off day...

Anyhow, was going to say it looks more like a keris hilt and maybe them folks might have some info.

[midelburgo]

No idea about the knife, but the carving and the silverwork look pretty Indonesian to me...

[Rick]

My impression also, but A.G. would be one in the know about that end of things.
Truly a anomalous puuko.
We do see figural ivory Dutch sword handles carved in the Far East...

[RSWORD]

When I see this handle it reminds me of Burmese carved ivory examples. I share two examples from Bob Hales book. The features that look quite similar are the wrist and ankle bracelets and then the motif from the corner of the mouth as pictured on one of the examples below. Makes me wonder if the handle and scabbard were inspired by Burmese work either as an export, trade or gift piece. I don’t know the background of Scandinavian and Burmese trade or cultural exchanges but rather than try to fit this figure into Norse mythology I think we have to look outside the area for inspiration and Burma has the most relevant examples.

[A. G. Maisey]

Yes, certainly there are similar elements present in the carving shown in the lower image. What this may mean I hesitate to guess at.

[RSWORD]

Originally Posted by A. G. Maisey

Yes, certainly there are similar elements present in the carving shown in the lower image. What this may mean I hesitate to guess at.

Up to this point all we have been doing is guessing but sometimes that can lead us down a road of possibility and given that we will probably never know the carvers intention we are left to interpret what we see. My guess is that this was an export or political gift to the Far East. You see this in a lot of cultures. English plates with Asian theme made for that market for example. The Demonic figures in Burmese handles vary a good bit but you see some common themes. The tongue sticking out is a threat posture in the Far East. The ankle and wrist bracelets are very Burmese. The demons often match the attire of the people. The scrolling cloud like motif is very similar in the two examples. This is a very Far Eastern decoration.

I am not familiar with Scandinavian knives beyond being able to recognize one when I see it but I wonder if the dragon themed scabbard is common. If not, the scabbard decor in addition to the handle decoration both might suggest an export product to the Far East or some type of political or cultural exchange. Until examples of Scandinavian art appear with as many or more common features as this example I will lean towards a Scandinavian knife made in the Far Eastern style for export, political gift or even possibly a one off for a customer that had spent time in the Far East.

[A. G. Maisey]

Thank you R.Sword, for your interesting ideas.

[Snowman]

Hi!

Here is one example of Finnish "Puukko" . This is not old-
perhaps 30 years-but model is old.Same type of Puukko has
been made I belive over 1000 years-or more. And many
areas had own type and style. Very famous are Middle-Area
of Finnland Puukko-kniwes. We call them name "Pohjalais-Puukko".

But Carelian area puukkos are too fine...and Northern Finland
"Lappland-puukko" (usually called "Leukku" -puukko) is own desingn and look near "art"...

End of Puukko normally make wood-but bones,metal and near all
is used. During wartime (WW2) Finnish soldiers used destroyed enemy aeroplane metal and bakelite and other materials...

Many modern Finnish puukko-factories are old-even hundreds of years.

I have quite many puukko-knifes. I'll take some photos when I have
a bit time. i don't own any "luxyry-puukkos"-but normal everyday
knifes I have.

regards Markku

[Snowman]

Hi!

Here are some photos more of typical Finnish Puukkos. They are simply and
any way speciall.You can find that type of puukkos everywhere in Finland.

But here are very much "better" ones-very speciall and luxury.But that types of puukkos where here normal-and used here every day tools-but somtimes used as weapon...of course. Even now mostly kills make here in Finland using "puukko"-but now they are often cheap "market-puukkos or Kitchen-knifes". But way to use them is same
that those good old times.

On first photo you can see small "Womans Puukko" made in place Kauhava-middle area of Finland perhaps 1920..30. Kauhava-puukkos are perhaps most famous puukkos in Finland-and wery famous of people who used them-specially they who used puukko "wrong"..That "Horse-head puukko" is too from Kauhava -area.It's quite small-perhaps it is too a "Womans Puukko"-but same type more bigger puukkos used men.

Other puukkos are normal "Folk-puukkos"-they made them round country near similar.

That one missing part of hande-it is made on wartime using materials what soldiers found:the handle of the birch and leather or horn and the airplane aluminum and the blade made of file.

Last photo is modern typical "puukko-smiths" own model-there are hundreds of variations of them here.

regards Markku