First Choora

[harrywagner]

Originally Posted by Miguel

Congratulations Harry for initiating such an interesting and informative thread as this one is proving to be. I think that I have gleaned more from this thread than all the reference books. I like your Choora and it looks a good example of this weapon with the typical decoration found on them. I have a small collection of them and all but one have similar decoration to yours, their scabbards are of various materials and one is a pretty plain, a bit knocked about, brass one like yours. I hope you don't mind me using your thread to post a couple of photos of the Choora with different decoration as I would value comments on the hilt which I think has had its original pommel replaced with an aluminium one also I have not seen one where the bolster extends down the blade and is riveted like this one.

Hi Miguel,
I don't mind at all. Thank you for posting them, and your kind words. Beautiful knives!

[Ian]

Kronckew:

The two you show with MOP inlays on the handles are from northern India, circa 1900. These were made largely for sale to Europeans who were touring India. A lot of them ended up in the U.K. (for obvious reasons). They are usually well made knives, and there is nothing shabby about how the better ones were made or whether they could be used as weapons.

Acid etching of English words on the blades is also found on some of these. Occasionally you find "kirpan" etched on them, presumably to indicate a Sikh association since all Sikh men, according to religious custom, are supposed to carry a knife (kirpan).

Ian.

[estcrh]

Originally Posted by Ian

Kronckew:

The two you show with MOP inlays on the handles are from northern India, circa 1900. These were made largely for sale to Europeans who were touring India. A lot of them ended up in the U.K. (for obvious reasons). They are usually well made knives, and there is nothing shabby about how the better ones were made or whether they could be used as weapons.

Acid etching of English words on the blades is also found on some of these. Occasionally you find "kirpan" etched on them, presumably to indicate a Sikh association since all Sikh men, according to religious custom, are supposed to carry a knife (kirpan).

Ian.

Then these two posted by Miguel would seem to be from the same place and time period as well.

[harrywagner]

This arrived today. It is a fairly plain choora compared to the others in this post, but it has the "Dumbo" ears, so I thought it might be of interest. I think the hilt is bone. At first I thought the nicks in the hilt might be decoration but am not sure about it now.

It looks more recent than my other. I am terrible at determining an object's age but will take a stab anyway. 1950-1970?

Harry

[kronckew]

the brass scabbard with an aluminum suspension rail looks like mine with a bit of repousse decoration, mine is basically plain...are the red dots stones or the ubiquitous red stuff? the knife's metal work is a lot newer looking & bright tho, and the ears look a bit less refinded. a very lightly decorated newer version of mine and the OP's. good to see they are still making them out there.

[estcrh]

Here is the earliest mention I have found in relation to a weapon of "choora".


"A compendious Grammar of the current corrupt dialect of the jargon Hindostan", George Hadley, Mirza M. Fitrut, S. Rousseau, 1801.

[Miguel]

[QUOTE=estcrh]Here is the earliest mention I have found in relation to a weapon of "choora".

Hi estcrh,

Me again, brilliant `Holmes` don't know how you find them. It would seem, therefore, that the Indian name, given by Tirri, for large and small knives is correct just spelt slightly differently.
Kind regards

Miguel

[harrywagner]

Originally Posted by kronckew

...are the red dots stones or the ubiquitous red stuff?

It is the mystery red material. I purchased a Khyber knife recently that also has it.

[Miguel]

Originally Posted by estcrh

Then these two posted by Miguel would seem to be from the same place and time period as well.

Hi estcrh,

Thank you for asking Ian the question, I would think that the answer will be yes. The pics are great much better than mine.

Best regards

Miguel

[Miguel]

Originally Posted by Ian

Kronckew:

The two you show with MOP inlays on the handles are from northern India, circa 1900. These were made largely for sale to Europeans who were touring India. A lot of them ended up in the U.K. (for obvious reasons). They are usually well made knives, and there is nothing shabby about how the better ones were made or whether they could be used as weapons.

Acid etching of English words on the blades is also found on some of these. Occasionally you find "kirpan" etched on them, presumably to indicate a Sikh association since all Sikh men, according to religious custom, are supposed to carry a knife (kirpan).

Ian.

Hi Ian,

Very interesting info on this type of knife. I never thought them to be made for European tourists I always thought they were made as a good quality general purpose knife for home consumption much like sheath knives in the UK (when they could be worn without being arrested). I never thought them as being Pesh Kabz. I can now place them in my early tourist weapons folder, thank you.

I would be grateful if you could confirm whether this piece also falls into this category or if it is a genuine Pesh Kabz which I have always understood it to be.
Kind regards

Miguel

[Miguel]

Hi Harry,

That was quick, another nice one. I think it is more recent than your first one
but with a more prominent eared hilt. I don't think they are as upswept as some but still nice. You will have to be careful, these Chooras are addictive and you may end up with a collection of them before you know it. I know I did.
Kind regards

Miguel

[harrywagner]

Originally Posted by Miguel

Hi Harry,

That was quick, another nice one. I think it is more recent than your first one
but with a more prominent eared hilt. I don't think they are as upswept as some but still nice. You will have to be careful, these Chooras are addictive and you may end up with a collection of them before you know it. I know I did.
Kind regards

Miguel

Indeed. Who knew collecting would be more addictive than crack?

[estcrh]

Originally Posted by Miguel

I would be grateful if you could confirm whether this piece also falls into this category or if it is a genuine Pesh Kabz which I have always understood it to be.
Kind regards

Miguel

Miquel, this is a pesh, it is hard to tell how old, any sign of wear?

[Miguel]

Originally Posted by estcrh

Miquel, this is a pesh, it is hard to tell how old, any sign of wear?

Hi estcrh,

Thanks for the confirmation, there is not much sign of wear so I do not think it is very old say the latter half of the 20th C ? I do ot know if you have noticed but if you look closely at the cutting edge, near enough at the start of the recurve, you will see a hair line crack that travels about a third of the way across the blade which can be seen from both sides, I don't know the cause as it could be due to a number of possibilities.
Kind regards
Miguel