Kora the original weapon of Gurkhas?

John Powell · May 13, 2002

The Egerton book is a treasure trove, but now some of his identifications are being questioned. Many of the Nepalese pieces could also have been of Indian origin and easily found their way north. Supposedly the Nepalese never made any type of katar, but used the ones they had gotten in trade. In old drawings you will also see Nepalese wearing talwars rather than koras.

#314 and #319 are kukris referred to as "hooded" and are quite rare.

The little knife, #348 is called a "katar bank" and has a bigger brother. Both knives are identical to pieces from Arabia called a "khusa" which is worn behind or in conjunction with a jambiya.

not2sharp · May 13, 2002

John

What aspect of 314 and 319 makes them "hooded"? Is it the absence of a cho?

n2s

Bill Martino · May 13, 2002

You experts make me feel totally inadequate.

beoram · May 13, 2002

Originally posted by not2sharp
John

What aspect of 314 and 319 makes them "hooded"? Is it the absence of a cho?

n2s

I don't know myself - just guessing, but look at 314, it has a sort of 'cho-ish' round indentation which looks abit like a 'hood'.

John - did you get the Egerton reprint yet? And why is 348 called a 'katar bank'? Doesn't look anything like a 'katar' (or at least what I think of a katar)...

--B.

not2sharp · May 13, 2002

Egerton simply refers to #348 as a "knife", and describes it as abruptly curved, grooved blade; silvered hilt, Nepal L. 11 in.

n2s

beoram · May 14, 2002

Originally posted by not2sharp
Egerton simply refers to #348 as a "knife", and describes it as abruptly curved, grooved blade; silvered hilt, Nepal L. 11 in.

n2s

Is no. 348 the one JOhn means I wonder - 344 looks more 'katar-ish'. Then again Egerton calls katars, jamdhars I think.

not2sharp · May 14, 2002

Egerton calls #344 a katar.

Bill Martino · May 14, 2002

I don't have the book.

beoram · May 14, 2002

Originally posted by not2sharp
Egerton calls #344 a katar.

Yes - I was wondering which JP was referring to really..

Originally posted by Bill Martino
I don't have the book.

That must make this conversation a bit difficult on your end

That recalls a good joke I heard:

In a certain prison a charitable organisation gave the 'lifers' a book of one hundred jokes. They read
it over and over and finally memorised all of the jokes, and the book itself was eventually lost. Then one day a new 'lifer' was assigned to this prison. After the evening meal he was alarmed at the behavior of his cell mates. They would yell out numbers and laugh. He timidly inquired why? And he was told the story of the joke-book. After a few years he had a pretty good ideas about which numbers were funniest, and so one night he yelled out '35!' But no-one laughed. He thought, 'Perhaps that number wasn't so funny after all.' So, the next night he yelled out '78!', a number that always got a good laugh, but again no-one cracked a smile. Again he thought I must have misremembered. The next night 43, but with no more reponse from his companions. After repeated failures, he became quite disheartened.

His cell-mate finally said to him, 'Look - some people just don't know how to tell a joke.'

John Powell · May 14, 2002

I don't know why it is called a 'katar bank' either. It is referenced in Oldman's Catalog as just Nepalese Knife also, but some of the real experts have told me the name. Museum types say it's confusing because 'bank' also means knife in some cultures of the region. It is also mentioned in one of the books I have from the 1920s which made it real confusing plus the fact it is so close in appearance to the 'khusa' I previously mentioned from the mideast.

I think the 'hood' refers to shape of the ricasso with a slight extension from the grip onto the blade. Again, I'm getting this from other dealers/collectors and museum experts.

Bill Martino · May 14, 2002

It does make the thread a little one sided.

not2sharp · May 14, 2002

It does make the thread a little one sided.

Bill,

We were discussing the knives in the drawing I posted earlier on the first page of this thread. If you look closely, each of the knives is numbered. Edgerton gives descriptions for each of these knives in his book.

Ben and I were confused by the use of the terms "hooded" khukuri, and "katar bank" which John has been good enough to clear up in his latest post.

n2s

Bill Marsh · May 14, 2002

A Description of Indian and Oriental Armour : Illustrated from the Collection Formerly in the India Office Now Exhibited at South Kensington and The Authors Private Collection: With An Introductory Sketch of the Military History of India/Egerton of Tatton.

Reprint of first edition. First published : London, 1896. New Delhi, Asian Educational Services, 2001, viii, 178 p., plates, maps, ISBN 81-206-1205-1.

can be ordered from

http://www.vedamsbooks.com/no20995.htm

And it is well worth it!

Bill Marsh

Berkley · May 14, 2002

amazon.com indicates that a new reprint will be available in July for $13.97, a considerable saving over the $60 price from Vedam.

beoram · May 14, 2002

Originally posted by Berkley
amazon.com indicates that a new reprint will be available in July for $13.97, a considerable saving over the $60 price from Vedam.

It depends what the reprint is like - for $13.97 I doubt it will have the glossy colour plates and full (original) size fold-out plates, &c. But I could be wrong. The Vedamsbook price of US$60 (includes air-mail postage) is underpriced, if anything, for the quality of the AES reprint.

--B.

beoram · May 14, 2002

Originally posted by not2sharp

Bill,

We were discussing the knives in the drawing I posted earlier on the first page of this thread. If you look closely, each of the knives is numbered. Edgerton gives descriptions for each of these knives in his book.

Ben and I were confused by the use of the terms "hooded" khukuri, and "katar bank" which John has been good enough to clear up in his latest post.

n2s

I didn't realise you had posted the pic!

Bill Martino · May 14, 2002

I can't see well enough anyway.