Purchasing Antique Khukuries

Drdan · Jan 1, 2004

Some of the antique khukuries, as well as the impostors (!) are simply beautiful, and oftentimes contain a bit of history. How would one who has little or no experience be able to purchase one (not an impostor

) without being taken to the proverbial cleaners? Are

Christie's and Sotheby's good sources, or are the best ones still found in their country of origin? The quest in finding a nice specimen is probably not without numerous caveats; how might one safely begin the journey? Thank You!

Dan

ddean · Jan 1, 2004

Have we got a site for you!

http://66.0.193.114/cgi-bin/www11651.storefront/3ff4f34501107b1c27464200c1480618/Catalog/1077/1
&
http://66.0.193.114/cgi-bin/www11651.storefront/3ff4f34501107b1c27464200c1480618/Catalog/1077/2

or, if that doesn't work for your browser,
click on:
"Original British Firearms & Ghurka Kukri's"
http://66.0.193.114/cgi-bin/www11651.storefront
www.atlantacutlery.com

And read here:
"Some Background On Our Acquisitions From The Royal Nepalese Military"
http://66.0.193.114/cgi-bin/www11651.storefront/3ff4f34501107b1c27464200c1480618/UserTemplate/11

Also search this forum for keywords:
atlanta cutlery
threads since 8-19-03.
Prior to this, all;
and after this, some posts
are regarding current manufacture kukris
that Atlanta Cutlery & other sites sell.

Some people have had good luck
& others have had bad luck
with the selection they have recieved.

Read the threads for fulll info & picks.

Drdan · Jan 2, 2004

I'm interested in seeing what super select, certified (by whom)khukuries are available on the market. There must be rare art dealers who not only offer them, but know about them, and stand by what they sell...

Clicking your second link, take a look at products 21-27. Right at the top you'll see a "WWII Vintage Khukuri w/Rivets," with "Many have British 'broad arrow' marks."

Many do, many don't, apparently. The don't descriibe them with "khukuri terminology", and there's no mention of the condtion grades. Are they willing to super select the product for me, and is their "Khukuri Department" carefully cleaning and restoring the products before selling them?

For what they are, they are probably O.K.

I was mostly interested in seeing Museum Quality stuff, and what is obtainable on the open market. I'm going to go to Google, and see what I come up with.

If you can assist me in finding BroadArrow's khukuri testing on tatami, I'd appreciate it. Then, instead of giving me a fish each time hunger pangs are besetting me, give me a fishing pole.

What words are you inserting into H.I.'s the search engines?

Thanks, Dean

Dan

Thomas Linton · Jan 2, 2004

AC has made no effort to restore these khukuris.

They arrive well-packaged for mailing. The khukuri themselves are in plastic sleeves, within which they are covered with an irregular coat of dirty grease.

When you wipe off the grease, you must decide if the condition (considering that these were apparently issued and used by soldiers) suits you. If not, return to AC for replacement or refund as per their policy.

I would say I'm a pretty happy AC customer, though I have utilized the opportunity to return.

On one purchase I was asked if I wanted to pay $10.00 extra for "hand select." The next time I ordered, I was told no such opportunity was, or had ever been, available.

ddean · Jan 2, 2004

Originally posted by Drdan
If you can assist me in finding BroadArrow's khukuri testing on tatami, I'd appreciate it. Then, instead of giving me a fish each time hunger pangs are besetting me, give me a fishing pole.
What words are you inserting into H.I.'s the search engines?

Bottom of the page at:
http://www.himalayan-imports.com/faq/Styles2.htm

Google keywords:
himalayan-imports tatami

The dash in "a-b" matches: "a-b" or "a b" or "ab"

Drdan · Jan 2, 2004

Originally posted by Thomas Linton
AC has made no effort to restore these khukuris.

They arrive well-packaged for mailing. The khukuri themselves are in plastic sleeves, within which they are covered with an irregular coat of dirty grease.

It's probable that they are genuine issue, and I'm sure you are getting a solid, reliable khukuri. However, rest assured that all the super select ones were snatched up way before the container was loaded up.

On one purchase I was asked if I wanted to pay $10.00 extra for "hand select." The next time I ordered, I was told no such opportunity was, or had ever been, available.
[/QUOTE

Maybe that employee was fired for his/her "creative initiative"; hand picking probably meant closing the eyes, and picking up the first handle encountered.

Dan

Drdan · Jan 2, 2004

It's probable that they are genuine issue, and I'm sure you are getting a solid, reliable khukuri. However, rest assured that all the super select ones were snatched up way before the container was loaded up.

Dan

Thomas Linton · Jan 2, 2004

Actually, the two I paid extra for were quite nice - no nicks in the blade edges at all and handles in very good condition. Of course, they don't shine like a new HI. They have the patina one would expect of a military issue blade nearly a century old -- or older.

Similarly, when I returned a couple, the ones sent in their place were also quite nice - the sleeves having been opened, presumably for inspection. (I returned one for a large chunk missing from the "sweet spot" and another for the last 2" of the tip being bent 10 degrees or so out of line.)

ddean · Jan 2, 2004

Finding someone selling antique kukris:

Google keywords:

kukri OR khukuri arms OR armoury antique OR period

Good browsing.

Rusty · Jan 2, 2004

If you're speaking of the forumite from the Bay area, he's using the handle "Broken Arrow" rather than broad arrow.

Drdan · Jan 2, 2004

Originally posted by Rusty
If you're speaking of the forumite from the Bay area, he's using the handle "Broken Arrow" rather than broad arrow.

I inadvertently confused Broken Arrow with another forumite's logo, featuring the Broad Arrow logo...

Sorry about that.

Dan

"To err is human; to forgive divine." (?)

"God Forgives: Me No." A very funny Italian film (Dio Perdona, Io No)from the late 70' or early 80's starring Bud Spencer and Terrence Hill

John Powell · Jan 2, 2004

Dan,
In response to your query, "There must be rare art dealers who not only offer them, but know about them, and stand by what they sell...":
there is no one dealer who can offer or guarantee quality kukris. Atlanta Cutlery has the best offering of authentic military kukris en masse I have ever seen. Here is a picture of 3 I got from them and restored with the proper scabbards. The karda & chakmak are from AC also.

Collecting and buying at auction (or anywhere) is a matter of knowing what you're looking at and that is a matter of study plus handling as many kukris as you can. There are some excellent and honest arms dealers who do offer the occasional great piece, but most will admit to knowing little about the kukris they offer. The art dealers who have offered me pieces knew virtually nothing.

The Khukuri FAQ is probably the best place to start finding the information needed to begin understanding the many variations of the kukri.

Drdan · Jan 2, 2004

Originally posted by John Powell

Collecting and buying at auction (or anywhere) is a matter of knowing what you're looking at and that is a matter of study plus handling as many kukris as you can.

Hello, John! I've seen some of your articles on the H.I. website, and they are impressive. Some of these khukuris are spectacular, and hold historical significance and well as beauty and value. I saw a few kothimodas in your article on these masterpieces that were really spectacular. The engraved buttcaps, inlays, exquisite handles with rare materials, and last, but certainly not least, interesting blade designs, fuller variations, and grooves.

You obviously can go anywhere and pick the gems out of the lesser blades. I would be picking out copies made in a factory 6 months ago, totally convinced I came across a rare treasure.

I know what you're saying about the rare art dealers. As long as they are legitimate, you are assured of receiving the genuine article.
I imagine that word of mouth informs the seekers where to purchase the rare khukuris.

I'm very much interested in your book as are most of us. Do give us a hint as to when it will be published. Congratulations on the fine articles, accumulated colection of rare khukuries, and being one who has reached to the rarified heights of being a major khukuri authority!

Thank you very much for the post and the great photos.

Dan

filibert · Jan 4, 2004

Dan,

As you are in Italy, you should check Czernys Auctions in Sarzana:

http://www.czernys.com/

Last November they sold some old kukris at 30 each. And a nice 19th C. Kotimora too, but that was much more expensive. Unfortunately I can collect only the on-line pictures of those kukris.

For John Powell,

Speaking about pictures, while I associate myself to Dans appreciation of your astonishing collection and informative work and I thank you very much for the latter, I have a prayer for you:
would you mind to compress more the jpg files you post here? On a slow dial-up connection like mine, they take a very long time to download.
The above picture is 777188 bytes. I compressed it to a mere 96043 bites and can assure you that one cannot tell the difference between the two photos.
For doing that you can use some freeware like Irfanview, downloadable at:

http://www.irfanview.com/

Just open the picture with it and from the menu >file > choose "save" or "save as" then click on the "option" button and choose 50%.

Thanks and regards,

Filiberto

Drdan · Jan 4, 2004

Originally posted by filibert
Dan,

As you are in Italy, you should check Czernys Auctions in Sarzana:

http://www.czernys.com/

Last November they sold some old kukris at 30 each. And a nice 19th C. Kotimora too, but that was much more expensive. Unfortunately I can collect only the on-line pictures of those kukris.

Purchasing Antique Khukuries

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