Kukri for coments

[fernando]

The seller sugests XIX century.
Its blade measures 32,5 cms ( 12 3/4" ).
The handle is surely bone ... seller says it's whitened (?)
The scabbard is quite tired, in artificial leather.
Would this piece be Nepalese or Indian?
Could it be as old as sugested ?
Coments will be much apreciated.
fernando

[spiral]

Hi Fernando,

Definatly 20th century, hard to date though, anwhere from c.1910 to early 1940s.

If the scabbard is rexin fake leather thats 1940s & definatly Indian.

Not certan but looks like Nepali/Indian work as seen around Darjeeling, But thats just based on seeing examples like that from that area, perhaps they made them in places I havent seen as well?

Its not a high quality kukri, most bone {not all sambar antler & old Buffalo Shin bone from beasts over 15 years old is very strong} but sadley including that one makes a poor kukri handle.

The blade was made by a skilled kami but its still not truly a good spiecimein, Perhaps I am a kukri snob? I dont know, I like many of them, but I like them to be capable of hard use & look good as well.

The handle on that one wouldnt not take hard use. Many like this were sold to soldiers in British army stationed in Darjeeling/Assam area, so they had a kukri to bring back to England.


Spiral

[fernando]

Thank you Spiral, i got the lesson.
fernando

[fernando]

I think these new pictures are now more clarifying. The previous ones were taken with a mobile phone, by the seller.

I would still expect this piece is older than WW1 or 2. I was told it was part of a collection gathered between 1900-1920, and the other collected items detected, are from beg. to mid-end XIX century. Such collection was split and sold out by third generation heirs.

I would like to receive a new apreciation on this kukri, with these new pictures. The scabbard is stitched with some non cotton material, probably sinew or gut. Amazingly it looks like this material has created some "verdigris" like stain on the scabbard wood laths ( this the term?). The scabbard has no signs of having had a chape, but my eyes are those of an ignorant in these things. Also i am not quite certain that its cover material is artificial or some kind of morocco leather. It surely shows signs of age, and i would say it shrank through time, becoming shorter than the wood linings. It also looks to have been actively used during a long period.
As for the blade, i hope the pictures talk by themselves. I just couldn't get a better macro of what looks to be a maker's mark or the like. Such sort of punction looks much too mechanic to be a steel fault, but i ignore if kukris ever had makers marks.
This piece's weight is 496 grams.
I assume i know nothing about this specific weaponry, but looking to the usage it has endured, i can not see it to be a piece made in recent times, with a purpose to be sold for a souvenir.
I can see it is not a high quality piece, but that wouldn't avoid it was a field weapon ... i maybe talking nonsense here.

I would love to hear some new coments on this kukri, for which i would be so much obliged.

Fernando

[inveterate]

I would think this Kukri to be made between 1925 - 1950s. Rod

[spiral]

mmmm Im happy to look again Fernando, but realy the intial pictures left no doubt. If you read my words you can see I wasnt uncertan.

But on the posotive it to me Looks like real leather with gut stiching .... Does the kukri actualy fit it though? It looks like its to short? but that might just be the photo. A picture of it layed on top of the scabbard would reveal more.

Thats Poor quality bone handle. Very thin ill fitting buttcap. All poorly finnished.

Blade made by expert but done fast. Kaudi all out of alignment.

Thats not a deliberate marking, if they mark them its very obvious, thats a mark from rough steel, rough anvill or cleaned up pitting. Or possible a combination of the above even.

It could I think just about be pre 1920 but no one who grew up using kukri {villagers.] would want it. More likely late 30s early 40s I think for a tourist or Brit soldier who new no better

Its a kukri, but its not a good example, no serious kukri collecter would pay more than for it than the price of a cheap steak & a bottle of wine for 2. & thats at the exrtreme, normaly it would be nearly unsaleable to an expierienced collector.

There is no way its 19th century,

if you like it thats cool, I know there not may kukri in Portugal., But personaly if I was you I would have tried to get Tims one if you wanted a solid example. Thats worth the price.Yours realy isnt.

Or start looking at ebay.....

Sorry I am happy to see people wanting a kukri, but thats definatly a "starter piece" nothing else. A good kukri you would be amazed at in comparison.....

I hope you get one one day, They can be realy good.I like people to find the pleasur of quality kukri.

Sorry if I sound harsh, but realy I couldnt tell you anything different about it with this one.

Better luck next time...

Sorry

Cheers,
Spiral