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Atlantia · 10th January 2012, 08:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kahnjar1

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

Stu

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

Atlantia · 17th January 2012, 06:36 PM

Any further thoughts?

Jim McDougall · 17th January 2012, 11:54 PM

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

Atlantia · 18th January 2012, 11:09 AM

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.

18th January 2012, 11:09 AM	#4
Atlantia Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: The Sharp end Posts: 2,928	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. Attached Images

17th January 2012, 06:36 PM	#2
Atlantia Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: The Sharp end Posts: 2,928	Any further thoughts?

17th January 2012, 11:54 PM	#3
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,192	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