Mrs. Martino!

[Bookie]

Mrs. Martino, in an advertising photo a lovely lady and a helluva good cook is holding a very large khukuri. Can you tell us about it, what it is, show another photo of it, or show us the large version of the same pic, please? The blade looks intriguing to say the least. Here is the picture I am referring to.

 

[George Azar]

Thanks for posting this sir. This will be interesting for sure!

 

[Steve Tall]

From a post by JayGoliath in a 2012 thread:

...it's a Hanshee from John Powell.
This pic was obtained via Berks off another forum.

...
18.75" oa, 1lb 3oz

Silver bolster and mounts with very fine locket and chape with an
exceptional sangli attachment. The 'sangli' is the chain or 'tape' that is used to secure the kothimora to the sash. It comes in different forms, usually in silver, and is attached to the locket by a keeper that is attached to a nut or loop. Usually this is in the form of a ring but can be something as elaborate as this. The pieces on this particular knife are a matched pair of hinged blossoms. Pretty nice stuff.

The engraving on the ivory grip is as fine as
I've ever seen for a kukri.

Hanshee style c1830.

About the markings on the specific one that Yangdu is holding in the photo,
DannyinJapan asked:

Does anybody know about the blade markings on the "HI business card sirupati"?

The answer from Karda was:
As for the markings on that blade? They are as real as the blade itself. It is a photochop made long ago. I'm not sure by whom.

All from this thread:
http://www.bladeforums.com/threads/im-back-and-on-the-mend.951763/

 

[Steve Tall]

There were two different Hanshees shown in my earlier post. This one looks like the knife that Yangdu is holding. Same number of markings alongside the spine, and the same discolorations in the blade steel.

I don't know, but it looks like the photo was manipulated to make the knife look bigger in Yangdu's hand than it really is (she appears to be holding it above the handle's ring).

 

[Yangdu]

I am holding 25 inch Sirupati Khukuri. If I can find the original picture then will share with forums.
Thank you, Bookie

 

[Steve Tall]

This looks like the original photo with the actual knife that Yangdu was holding, before it was photoshopped to look like that antique hanshee.

from http://www.himalayan-imports.com/bio.html

 

[Bookie]

Thank you, Mrs. Martino. Wonderful! The story continues. Amigo Steve, once again you have adroitly manipulated the archives and brought forth some very interesting information from several years back. Thank you. An extraordinary khukuri, photo-shopped or not, in my book. I'd love to engrave a khuk blade in that fashion. Hmmm. Maybe I better look into that.

 

[Soshin]

Absolutely a masterpiece. Hands down one of the, if not the most beautiful Khoti Mora Khukuri I've ever seen. Simply glorious.

I seriously doubt there are artists alive today in Nepal who do something like this anymore.
This is the kind of Khoti Mora the King or one of the Princes would have carried at the time Nepal was a Royal State, and only at important ocassions in full ceremonial dress.

It has museum quality. The carvings on the ivory handle are out of this world. The intricate work on the sheat is a feast to the eyes. Velvet cover and fine chased silver fittings.

Even in Kathmandu in the few upmarket shops, IF you find one even resembling it (which I doubt) it would be sold with a price-tag in the four-digits. And not even in the low ones. In USD.