ID required and translation
 

Interesting heavy knife for ID.
Not evn sure what the language is on the handle.
Pictures say it all really.
Any help appreciated.

Hi Gene,

Looks South Indian on first glance IMO... Maybe Malabar coast? :shrug:

Regards,

Chris

My first thoughts looking at the Rosettes...Gav

Most interesting piece Gene. My pick would also be India and those rosettes and the blade decoration suggest some quality also. There are Indian knives which are somewhat similar but not the same. I am thinking of Moplah, Ayda-Katti etc. Perhaps those who are serious collectors of Indian blades may be able to help.
The letters in the ferrule look as if they could be someone's initials---
V W B ?? Perhaps something from the years of the Raj?
Stu

Chris, Gav, Stu.

Thanks chaps. Is this shape familiar to any of you? It seems strangely familiar but I can't place it.
The cutting edge at such a strange anlge makes me wonder if it's had some nefarious neck useage! :eek:
Certainly for some kind of chopping.
The characters are mystifying me as well, Like Stu I did think european initials, but the little tails made me decide not... Now I'm not sure.

Best
Gene

Those "tails" are typical of Victorian styling IMHO. As to this being a chopper....I would have thought not likely, as the downward swing would not produce a strong cut. Maybe your idea of some sort of neck rearranging tool might fit better :eek: :eek:
Stu

Its a very odd thing mate.
But so distinctive I'd have thought someone would be able to pin it :shrug:

Any further thoughts?

I pretty much get the same feel as everybody else on this, and think of Malabar and the ayda katti, but something else came to mind. The ram dao which is more associated with Bengal, Assam and Nepal....it seems there was something a while back with an unusual bladed item something like this, and there were initials, which in three like this seem usually as noted British or European. In this case the item was I think from one of those areas during the British Raj, and from a plantation . It may have been a presentation or gift to the plantation owner and perhaps a utility type knife similar to the ram dao. The chrysanthemum type rosettes, while India seem SE Asian as well.
The 'tails' on the letters may be simply a linguistic fluorish simulating local language characters?
Just thoughts, interesting item.......the motif on the blade though does seem toward the ayda katti....so it is a real quandry.

All the best,
JIm

Hi Guys,

I have to say I'm coming a round to y'all way of thinking here.
My experience of ayda katti is from pictures of the classic 'sword' form in books where the blades are more bill shaped.
But having now had time to sniff around the net and see some variations, I do see what you all mean. There are examples with straight angled edges. That combined with Coorg type handle etc....

It seems a mixture of various elements from the weapons of that culture.

Ayda Katti
 

Here is a forum thread from 2006 showing Ayda Katti. I'm not so sure.

Ayda Katti

On the other hand, here is a picture of an Ayda Katti that I've saved because it is a fine example of a weapon I've sought for a long time for my collection but alas too pricey still for me. Image credit: http://eriksedge.com/product.php?id=...=Malabar_Sword

Hi Dave,
Thanks for coming in on this one.
I think that as has been suggested we might be seeing a kind of hybrid or Anglocised version of the Ayda Katti. Which would also account for the western initials.
Seems to be an unusual thing. Strange patterns in the steels surface too. Not wootz or anything 'good' but..... I better take a pic as it's hard to describe.

Best
Gene

Pictures of the steel.

BUMP

Good afternoon,
I would just like to point out the similarity of shape of the hilt of Atlantia's chopper and my knife on Henrik's thread.http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=14832
Regards
Richard

Hi Richard

Excellent point. Here are the pictures for others to see: