Antique Khukuri Photos from JP

beoram

beoram

Joined
Nov 27, 2001
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1,780
2 khuks from JP's collection:

engraved grip oa.jpg

'The intricately engraved ivory grip is a very early piece with a classic 'budhume' shaped blade that is made of watered steel in the pattern called "pools" or "raindrops". It is also geometrically designed along the spine with a floriate pattern and deep holes that probaly held bits of gold. The gods indicatd are "Ganesh" [the elephant god] and either "Ardhanariswara" (half god, half goddess) or "Durga" without her usual trusted lion mount [or perhaps one of the other goddesses - possibly Kali, hard to tell -- BMS (beo)]. The pouch is of the same velvet as the underlying base for the leather patterns on the scabbard, and I think the chape may have been of silver that would match the strap to hold the pouches at the back. The karda & chakma(k) are well made and of ivory also. I think this piece is from the the late 1700s. Size overall is 16.25" with a very deep belly and well made blade.' --JP


greenhead oa better.jpg

'The dyed green headed lion with matching karda & chakma(k) are of elephant ivory and are exquisitely done. I have seen the k&c done with 'lion's heads' before, but never the whole top of the main grip. It is quite a piece of ivory, but the blade is very standard as is the scabbard which missing the strap and buttons that were just of plain leather also. This kukri is from around the middle of the 19th-c and measures 17.25" overall.' --JP


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Vaah! Well, I've had my dose of envy for the day ;) --B.
 
:eek: gaaaaaaaaahhhhh (drool, slobber) very nice! Incredible handles! The blade shape on that top one is just awesome. Does HI produce anything similar?
--Josh
 
Very nice knives. Congrats JP! Now back to dusting off that little space on the book shelf that I have reserved for your tome....

n2s
 
:DI love that Ivory.TOO bad u can't get nomore.J.P.what is this TOME U'R TALKING ABOUT??? Picture maybe.....
 
Guys,
He's doing it AGAIN!!:mad: He does this "JUST" to TORMENT ME! Sniff! Have any of you entertained "THIS THOUGHT",if JP shows us this,WHAT HAS HE GOT ,THAT WE HAVEN'T SEEN?? Can you all imagine "WHAT" will be in his book!! I for one don't care "HOW MUCH"the book will cost!! I WANT THAT #$%@@**&* book!!
jim
 
Wonderfull pieces!!! Congratulation JP, you're a lucky collector!

A question : How can they dye the ivory head green???
 
Originally posted by stephensee
Wonderfull pieces!!! Congratulation JP, you're a lucky collector!

A question : How can they dye the ivory head green???
Click to expand...

I think ivory is somewhat porous - I mean, ivory is teeth, right? And teeth are stained by things like tea and coffee and cigarettes. I have an Indian chess set made from camel bone and the one side is dyed black, so I imagine it's similar to that.
 
Good Grief! I think I need to go lay down! Stunning, Absolutely Stunning. Thanks so much for sharing, JP, and posting the Pix, Beo. The khuks we see in these posts are hard to believe.

Beo, you should put a small warning in the thread title that lobster bibs may be neccesary... :D

-Craig
 
Mammoth ivory is available, but try to find a craftsman who can do that kind of work anymore. Maybe somewhere in Asia, but then you to deal with CITES agreements, insurance, shipping and faith that it will come back.

The dyeing of ivory isn't that rare and as pointed out, it is porous and takes some dyes quite well. I have seen more of the green color than any other although I did see a karda dyed red and the chakmak green once. Messed up by not getting those.

A lucky collector? Maybe there's some luck, but most of it is tracking down every lead, knowing what to look for and then figuring out how to buy it. Being rich ain't all it's cracked up to be, especially since I'm broke most of the time from spending money on travel to find and buy these things. I am hoping the book comes out and you all are as enthusiastic when you see the price I have to charge just to cover the production. Books with lots of color photos are very, very expensive.

I want to share all the good pieces from my collection, plus all I've learned. It gives me great joy for all of you just to enjoy the pictures posted here. I truly appreciate that there are people out there who enjoy seeing something so well crafted. As long as you like them, I'll keep supplying pix...they'll all be in the book!
 
John,

Just keep adding those pictures until your book turns into a 1200 page four volume set. This stuff is great. :)

It is interesting that despite the excellent handle work these knives have basic working blades and sheaths. Would these have been considered particularly upscale knives when they were made, or, was the cost of the ivory and carvings relatively inexpensive at the time?

n2s
 
John is right about the diminishing number of craftsmen who are skilled enough to do those kind of carvings.

I have two Sarawak parangs, the native names of which escape me right now. The sheaths of these two parangs area were exquisitely carved by elderly men who have nothing but time on their side after they have returned from their normal work in town or city.

The vendor who sourced these parangs from some of the people who stay in longhouses told me that the children of these craftsmen are not willing to do anymore of this old stuff. Apparently, it takes too much time, requires enormous patience and a keen eye.

Some of these craftsmen use just a little knife and carve whenever they have the time. They carve a little at a time until it is completely done. There is no deadline for them. They do it partly to supplement their income and partly out of love.

It is a dying art in the old world where the longhouses of Sarawak, Malaysia still exist.
 
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