A Fine Presentation Kerala Knife
Kerala, British Raj (Kerala, India)
Ca. 1900
Steel, silver, turquoise, wood, velvet
Blade: 22,2cm
Hilt & Blade: 31,2cm
Hilt, Blade, & Sheath: 36,8cm
Collection Date: 2019
Collection Number: 62

A fine presentation knife from Kerala on the Malabar Coast of India, highly decorated in zoomorphic design. The plain crucible steel blade is single-edged with a T-spine, down curving near the point. The hilt, embossed with silver in the shape of a bird's head pommel, likely a peacock. The eyes inset with turquoise stones.

The wood sheath is covered in silver worked mounts of floral patterns, lotuses, and opposing peacocks. The throat and chape are separated by green velvet and silver filigree bands. The silver being a mid- grade content. There is untranslated punch dot script on the sheath throat. Probably had a silver chain connected on the hilt loops at one time. Some markings on the silver and velvet. This would have been a presentation piece made for likley a high ranking official, possibly a British military or administration member during the crown rule era. Dates to around 1900.