Mystery "Kollam" knife...

[anvilring]

I'm thinking this isn't all that old, but others are thinking differntly. Anyone here ever see any such knife??

http://i644.photobucket.com/albums/uu165/pseudos/MainLeft.jpg

I'm thinking modern fantasy, but perhaps not. Has anyone ever seen a blade pattern like this? and if so, from where?

The mark is ....

http://i644.photobucket.com/albums/uu165/pseudos/Mark.jpg

any help appreciated....

m

[Rick]

Hi Anvilring , and welcome !

I am going to move this post to the appropriate forum for you ; The European Armory . :)

Good to have you on board !

This reminds me of the knife we discussed some months ago with a point similar to your's but more heart shaped .

I don't think it's all that new either .

Rick

[Rick]

Having just searched for Kollam and came up with India; I now wonder if this shouldn't be in Ethnographic . :confused:

It looks like it may have originated in the Kerala area of India where Kollam is situated .
Very nicely made .
Do I read the length as 47cm correctly ?

It has a European influenced look to it though . :shrug:

What say you Gentlemen ?

[anvilring]

Rick, much thanks. Kill this thread and move it if you like, just leave me a link as I'm discussing this on another forum and am looking for input from the folks here on EA&A as I value your collective impressions....


compliments and regards, m

[anvilring]

Thanks for the help. Do you/can you give me a link to that forum post?, where the "heart shaped" blade was discussed?

Its pretty obvious this was made for the tourist trade; otherwise, why stamp it in english complete with a bizarre ampersand.

Definitely made for outsiders.

Many of these tourist blades I think, would have to resemble some ethnic blade of local use, i.e. machetes from So. America, kindals from the Caucusses etc.

So my questions are; what was this used for?, and when was it made?

Did it really come FROM Kollam?, or could it be a fake tourist blade?? representing something from the 19th cen. tourist trade?

[Rick]

I highly doubt this is a Tourist Piece .... :shrug:
Are the fittings Silver ?

The workmanship seems top notch .
Possibly a sacrificial knife ?? :confused:

No one is going to stab with this blade; it seems much more suited to chopping or slashing; but a bit small for a Machete .
If I had to guess age ; late 19th - mid 20th C.

I'll see if I can hunt up that thread, but after finding out this blade is from India it kind of throws that idea out of consideration .... :)

I expect the stamping at the forte is British Colonial influenced ; therefore the Western style of mark .

Poor wandering thread; I think It should go to Ethnographic .
We will get more input there I think .

Here is the link to the discussion . :)

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=10216&highlight=kerala

Best,
Rick

[Rick]

Anvilring,
Here is the link to the knife I referred to .
I think this might cloud the issue a bit; I don't think there is any correlation between them . :)

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=7453&highlight=trousse

[Rick]

Bump .