704 - Kukri, Nepalese chopping knife with leather scabbard, probably newly made, blade stamped “1916”

Kukri, Nepalese chopping knife with leather scabbard, probably newly made, blade stamped “1916” Kukri, probably newly made, with the forward-curved blade widening towards the point that is characteristic of the type. Blade polished bright, on the blade face stamped unresolved characters, probably “ColiG II”, below “1916” above “43”. At the base of the blade the notch characteristic of the type, called kauri or cho. The one-piece turned grip of hardwood with encircling grooves and on each side two round silver-coloured decorative rivets, at the grip end a silver-coloured cap. With the black leather scabbard with curved tip, without pockets for the auxiliary knives karda and chakmak. In good age-appropriate condition, blade with isolated spots, scabbard rubbed, with creases and dents. Overall length 51 cm, blade length 34 cm The kukri is the national knife of Nepal. The forward-curved blade shifts the weight towards the point and makes the knife a chopping tool; in everyday life it is used for chopping wood and in agriculture. The notch at the base of the blade, called kauri or cho, is interpreted as a cow’s hoof, as Shiva’s trident and as the syllable OM; in practice it ends the cutting edge and catches the sharpening steel during sharpening before it reaches the grip.