Khukuri type knife scabard and small knives

[Kmaddock]

Hi
I am looking for information on the following
It looks like a khukuri scabbard of sorts
No main knife but the two knives and the pouch were present
The small knives are 7 inches long and the metal seems of good quality
The handles are ceramic like they feel like marble or stone, it is shiny to look at and quiet resilient.
Would anyone be able to tell me more wrt origin or anything at all really.
Cheers
Ken

[David R]

I think you have a very old style Kukri scabbard which I downright envy! The two auxiliary knives karda and chakma probably have hilts of shell, as in shellfish shell, more often seen on Philippine and Indonesian items. What a pity the Kukri is gone.

[Kmaddock]

Hi David,
Yes pity the main knife is gone, it would have been a lovely set alright.
The material of the handles is not chalkey like stone or shells I know.
If you tried to scratch with your teeth it just will not scratch without damaging teeth. I assume it is silver trim on the metal as it has that smell!
Cheers

[Royston]

That must have been very special in its day.
Are you sure that the hilts of the Karda and Chakmak are shell and not some form of ivory ?

Regards
Roy

[Kmaddock]

Hi Roy,
I tried handle with a hot needle and it is impervious
Handles are v cold to the touch and look like they would shatter if you hit off the ground. Where the tang comes through the ends there is some metal showing in the shape of a c.
The material could be tooth but in all honesty it does not look organic.
I have attached more images and also forgot to mention there is some decoration on the blades, which I have photographed.

David I meant to ask you what sort of age would you put on this part set?.
Cheers
Ken

[David R]

Have look here for examples of tridacna shell handles.


http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=12577&highlight=tridacna

[Kmaddock]

Thanks David,
Looks v similar alright, I reckon you have it.
Cheers,
Ken

[Miguel]

Hello Ken, I think you have something quite special there and agree with David in that its an old design. I have never seen companion knives of that design before but on searching online I found a kukri with companion kives having the same blade form as yours, I found it together with the knife, scabbard and pouch on Pinterest who attributed it to the Metropolitan Museum. The age given was 18th/19th century.
Thanks for sharing.
Miguel

[Battara]

Just to play devil's advocate, could these hilts also be ivory?

[Kmaddock]

Hi
I do not think they are ivory
V v cold ceramic feel to them
Looking at images they David R put up I think they are tridacna alright
Thanks
Ken

[Battara]

Feeling the material is good. Helps make the determination better.

[Gavin Nugent]

These are very nice...some what lacking in condition but given the rarity of the knives, hilt material and the design of the sheath, I think they could be late 18th century.

The hilts are shell, however, they are not tridacna.
Tridacna are giant clam shells, these clearly have the spiralling rings of a conch shell.

Gavin

[kai]

Gavin, you're spot on with the smaller hilt - apparently crafted from the center of a large marine conch shell (as you know, these did got traded into the Himalayas). The larger hilt seems quite massive - a close-up of the tip may help...

Regards,
Kai

[Gavin Nugent]

Gavin, you're spot on with the smaller hilt - apparently crafted from the center of a large marine conch shell (as you know, these did got traded into the Himalayas). The larger hilt seems quite massive - a close-up of the tip may help...

Regards,
Kai

Thanks Kai,

throw your eye over the first post, third image...clear spiral to me.

Gavin

[kronckew]

just for interest, here is a modern khukuri from a nepali mfg. based on the older ones before they had a proper cho (aka kaudi or kauri). and an older quite ornate khukuri with similar tools.

normally the two tools are a karda, a small sharpened utility knife and the other an unsharpened but similar sized and shaped one, the chakma(k) with a thick hardened edge used to 'steel' a dinged edge back to shape or with a flint, to start a fire.

[kai]

Hello Gavin,

throw your eye over the first post, third image...clear spiral to me
Yes, it seems so but the 4th pic (close-up) is less convincing. The top partly visible in the 3rd pic does indeed suggest the same structure though...

Regards,
Kai