Massive 19th Century Gurkha Executioner's Kukri

Massive and Unusual 19th Century Gurkha Executioner’s Kukri

This is a unique and extremely large piece and was likely to have been used for ceremonial or executioner purposes – it would have been too large for everyday use. Comprises a wooden and inlaid bone grip with iron mounts. The massive blade is blued and inlaid with gold decoration. Complete with a heavy wooden scabbard that has the remains of semi-precious stones and brass figures.

The kukri (alternatively spelled khukri or khukuri) is a curved Nepalese knife, similar to the machete, used as both a tool and as a weapon. It is a traditional weapon for Nepalese people, and also a weapon of choice/side arm for all Nepalese including those serving in different armies around the world. The cutting edge is inwardly curved in shape and is the icon of Nepal. It was, and in many cases still is, the basic and traditional utility knife of the Nepalese people. Very effective when used as a weapon, it is a symbolic weapon of the Nepalese Army, and of all Gurkha regiments throughout the world, signifying the courage and valor of the bearer in the battlefield. It is a part of the regimental weaponry and heraldry of the Royal Gurkha Rifles, and is used in many traditional rituals among different ethnic groups of Nepal, including one where the groom has to wear it during the wedding ceremony. It is known to many people as simply the “Gurkha blade” or “Gurkha knife”. The pronunciation “kukri” is of western origin, the Nepalese people to whom this weapon belongs pronounce it as “khukuri.”