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The Kukri (Khukuri) Knife and Nepali Arms & Armour at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA. Image and item description from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Original text from George C Stone`s work: “A Glossary of the Construction, Decoration and Use of Arms and Armor: in All Countries and in All Times (1934).” Includes a short biography about George C Stone and his Weapon collections.
SirKukri & Co Research Gurkha-‐Antiques.com 2014
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1.Knife (Kukri) with Sheath
Date: 19th century
Culture: Indian or Nepalese, Gurkha Medium: Steel, ivory, gold, silver, wood, leather
Dimensions: H. with sheath 18 1/4 in. (46.4 cm); H. without sheath 17 1/8 in. (43.5 cm); W. 2 1/8 in. (5.4 cm); Wt. 1 lb. 8.9 oz. (705.9 g); Wt. of sheath 8.2 oz. (232.5 g)
Classification: Knives Credit Line: Bequest of George C. Stone, 1935
Accession Number: 36.25.713a, b
“Ivory hilt, blade 14,5 inches long. Scabbard mounts of chased, pierced and embossed gold.”
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2. Knife (Kukri) with Two Sheaths, Two Small Knives, and Two Sharpening
Pouches
Date: 18th–19th century Culture: Indian or Nepalese
Medium: Steel, horn, gold, leather, velvet Dimensions: H. with sheath 18 1/2 in. (47 cm); H. without sheath 17 3/8 in. (44.1 cm); W. 1
11/16 in. (4.3 cm); Wt. 14 oz. (396.9 g); Wt. of sheaths 9.1 oz. (258 g); small knife (c); H. 6 1/4 in. (15.9 cm); W. 7/8 in. (2.2 cm); Wt. 1.3 oz (36.9 g); small knife (d); H. 6 1/4 in. (15.9 cm); W. 7/8
in. (2.2 cm); Wt. 1 oz. (28.3 g) Classification: Daggers
Credit Line: Bequest of George C. Stone, 1935 Accession Number 36.25.714a–g
“Dark wood hilt, blade 14 inches long, Two small knifes with horn handles and two
pouches. Scabbard with pierced gold mounts.”
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3. Knife (Kukri) with Sheath, Small Knife and Pouch
Date: 19th century Culture: Indian or Nepalese Medium: Steel, wood, leather
Dimensions: Knife (a); H. with sheath 17 3/8 in. (44.1 cm); H. without sheath 17 3/8 in. (44.1 cm); W. 3 in. (7.6 cm); Wt. 1 lb. 15.1 oz. (881.7 g); sheath (b); Wt. 4.1 oz. (116.2 g); small knife (c);
H. 5 3/16 in. (13.2 cm); W. 1 1/4 in. (3.2 cm); Wt. 1.6 oz. (45.4 g) Classification: Knives
Credit Line: Bequest of George C. Stone, 1935 Accession Number: 36.25.828a–d
“Hilt with disk guard and pommel like a kora.”
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4. Knife (Kukri) with Sheath, Two Small Knives and Pouch
Date: 19th century Culture: Indian or Nepalese
Medium: Steel, silver, wood, leather Dimensions: Knife (a); H. with sheath 18 1/16 in. (45.9 cm); H. without sheath 16 13/16 in. (42.7 cm); W. 1 11/16 in. (4.3 cm); Wt. 1 lb. 0.6 oz. (470.6 g); sheath (b); Wt. 9.5 oz. (269.3 g); small knife (c); H. 4 9/16 in. (11.6 cm); W. 7/8 in. (2.2 cm); Wt. 0.8 oz. (22.7 cm); small knife (d); H. 4
1/2 in. (11.4 cm); W. 15/16 in. (2.4 cm); Wt. 1.2 oz. (34 g) Classification: Knives
Credit Line: Bequest of George C. Stone, 1935 Accession Number: 36.25.827a–e
“Blade 14 inches long, Hilt and scabbard mountings of chased silver. The hilt of the
small knifes are of wood.”
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5. Knife (Kukri) with Sheath
Date: 19th century
Culture: Indian or Nepalese Medium: Steel, wood, leather, gold
Dimensions: H. with sheath 17 7/16 in. (44.3 cm); H. without sheath 16 5/8 in. (42.2 cm); W. 1 15/16 in. (4.9 cm); Wt. 1 lb. 1.2 oz. (487.6 g); Wt. of sheath 5.1 oz. (144.6 g)
Classification: Knives Credit Line: Bequest of George C. Stone, 1935
Accession Number: 36.25.825a, b
Not shown in Stones Image of Kukri knifes in his book.
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6. Knife (Kukri) with Sheath, Two Small Knives and Pouch
Date: 19th century Culture: Indian or Nepalese Medium: Steel, ivory, leather
Dimensions: Knife (a); H. with sheath 16 13/16 in. (42.7 cm); H. without sheath 16 13/16 in. (42.7 cm); W. 1 1/2 in. (3.8 cm); Wt. 14.2 oz. (402.6 g); sheath (b); Wt. 3.3 oz. (93.6 g); small knife (c); H. 6 5/16 in. (41.4 cm); W. 1 1/16 in. (2.7 cm); Wt. 2.3 oz. (65.2 g); small knife (d); H. 6 13/16
in. (17.3 cm); W. 1 3/16 in. (3 cm); Wt. 2 oz. (56.7 g) Classification: Knives
Credit Line: Bequest of George C. Stone, 1935 Accession Number: 36.25.829a–e
“Narrow blade 12,5 inches long. The hilts of the kukri and small knives are of
ivory.“
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Most of these Kukri knifes were originally first found in A Glossary of the Construction, Decoration and Use of Arms and Armour by George Cameron
Stone, New York, 1961 (orig 1934) and where then given the the Metropolitan Museum of Art. His work is one of the earlier scholarly classifications of the
Kukri (Khukuri), where he states;
"KUKRI, COOKRI, KOOKERI -‐ the national knife and principal weapon of the Gurkhas of Nepal. It has a heavy, curved, single-‐edged blade sharp on the concave side. The hilt is usually straight and without guard; occasionally it has a disk guard and pommel like a sword (kora) from the same sharpener. Quite often one, or both, of these knifes have hilts of branching stag-‐horn. The weight of the blade of the kukri is well towards the point and a tremendous blow can be struck with it with very little muscular exertion. There are well authenticated instances of a Gurkha having split the head of a man and cut well down into his chest with a single blow. It is carried by Gurkhas at all times and used as a jungle and hunting knife as well as for war. The scabbards are often embroidered with quills or decorated with
silver or gold chapes (pp 397-‐398)."
When compared closer we find that:
In Article here (Nr #) In Stone`s Book (Image above with Nr#) #1 #2 #2 #4 #3 #6 #4 #8 #6 #7
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Stone`s image above contains 8 kukri knifes, five of them have been accounted for by comparing the photos of the knifes from the Metropolitan Museum of Art with those originally published by Stone in 1934. Kukri knifes Nr 1, 3 and 5 are not shown in picture on the MMA Website but maybe one of these that are listed on the database. Knife (Kukri) with Sheath, Small Knife, Belt, Pouch and Box Date: 19th century Culture: Indian or Nepalese Medium: Steel, wood, leather, quill Dimensions: (a-‐b) L. 18 3/4 in. (47.6 cm); (c) L. 6 1/2 in. (16.5); (d) L. 6 1/4 in. (15.9 cm); (e) L. 37 in. (94.0 cm); (f) L. 8 1/4 in. (21.0 cm); (g) L. 5 1/2 in. (14.0 cm) Classification: Knives Credit Line: Bequest of George C. Stone, 1935 Accession Number: 36.25.826a–g Very likely Nr. 5 as description matches what we see on Stone`s image. Knife (Kukri) with Sheath and Pouch with Two Small Knives Date: 19th century Culture: Indian or Nepalese, Gurkha Medium: Steel, brass, wood, leather, horn Dimensions: (a-‐b) L. 23 in. (58.4 cm); (c) L. 5 1/4 in. (13.3 cm); (d) L. 9 in. (22.9 cm) Classification: Knives Credit Line: Bequest of George C. Stone, 1935 Accession Number: 36.25.788a–e In Stones original image, Kukri nr 1 is described as; “Blade 17,5 inches long, wooden hilt. Black leather scabbard with pockets for the pouch, small knife with staghorn handle and one for use as a sharpener.” The description matches that of Stone and rather likely it is the same Kukri. It would imply that the handle was ca 5,5 inches which would fit its dimensions. Knife (Kukri) Date: 19th century Culture: Indian or Nepalese, Gurkha Medium: Steel, wood Dimensions: L. 18 1/2 in. (47.0 cm) Classification: Knives Credit Line: Bequest of George C. Stone, 1935 Accession Number: 36.25.830 Which of the remaining two is nr # 3 is difficult to say. Stone only describes it as “Hilt with a cross guard, probably made for an Englishman to use as a hunting knife.” It is show without a Sheath and thus rather possible to be the one described in text above.
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Knife (Kukri) with Sheath Date: 18th–19th century Culture: Nepalese Medium: Wood Dimensions: L. blade 22 in. (55.9 cm) Classification: Knives Credit Line: Bequest of George C. Stone, 1935 Accession Number: 36.25.831a, b
The collection spans to cover some other Nepali (Nepalese) Arms & Armour which include three knifes and a set a Cavalry man in Armour with Bow and Arrow.
Dagger with Sheath Date: ca. 1650–1700 Culture: Nepalese
Medium: Ivory, steel, silver Dimensions: L. 15 1/2 in. (39.4 cm); L. of dagger 13 in. (33 cm)
Classification: Daggers Credit Line: Purchase, Arthur Ochs Sulzberger Gift, 2006
Accession Number: 2006.441a, b
Knife
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Date: 18th–19th century Culture: Indian or Nepalese Medium: Steel, silver, brass
Dimensions: H. 12 in. (30.5 cm); H. of blade 7 3/8 in. (18.7 cm); W. 1 3/16 in. (3 cm); Wt. 6.2 oz. (175.8 g)
Classification: Knives Credit Line: Bequest of George C. Stone, 1935
Accession Number: 36.25.832
Knife
Date: 18th–19th century Culture: Indian or Nepalese
Medium: Steel, silver Dimensions: H. 9 13/16 in. (24.9 cm); H. of blade 6 1/4 in. (15.9 cm); W. 1 1/16 in. (2.7 cm); Wt.
4.3 oz. (121.9 g) Classification: Knives
Credit Line: Bequest of George C. Stone, 1935 Accession Number: 36.25.841
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Armored Cavalryman
Date: 18th–19th century Culture: Tibetan, and possibly Bhutanese and Nepalese
Medium: Steel, iron, gold, silver, copper alloy, brass, wood, leather, textile, bone, horn, silk, hair, turquoise, lead
Classification: Archery Equipment Credit Line: 36.25.2ii, .25, .351, .476, .583a–d, h–k, .2174, .2461, .2505, .2557a, b: Bequest of
George C. Stone, 1935 1997.214.6: Purchase, Rogers Fund and bequest of Stephen V. Grancsay, by exchange, 1997 2006.269: Purchase, Arthur Ochs Sulzberger Gift, 2006. Accession
Number:36.25.25,.28,.351,.476,.583,.842,.2174..
same Image is also found listed under:
Mail Shirt
Date: 17th–19th century Culture: Tibetan, possibly Bhutanese or Nepalese
Medium: Iron, leather, textile Dimensions: Wt. 18 lb. 14 oz. (8561.6 g)
Classification: Mail Credit Line: Bequest of George C. Stone, 1935
Accession Number: 36.25.476
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George Cameron Stone;
“(August 6, 1859 in Geneva, New York – November 18, 1935 in New York City, New York) was a well-‐known American arms collector and author as well as
an American mining engineer and metallurgist. He authored a glossary of the antique weapons of the world that remains one of the most comprehensive works ever written on the subject.
Early on in his childhood, Stone began to show an interest in weapons. He acquired the first item with which he started his collection at an auction in New York -‐ a Persian gun -‐ shortly after graduation. His first published article on weapons in the Magazine of Antique Firearms(1911–
1912) was about a set of rifles, one of which is likely to be said Persian gun. Stone must have thought rather early about the publication of an arms and armor glossary as his
correspondence with the director of the Peabody Museum in Salem (now: Peabody Essex Museum), Massachusetts, Lawrence Jenkins (1872–1961) demonstrates as Stone requests images on a variety of Asian arrows. Stone is furthermore assisted and supported by the respective curators of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Bashford Dean (1867–1928) and Dean's successor, Stephen V. Grancsay (1897–1980). Grancsay assisted Stone especially with regard to European weaponry. At the time of his death, Stones collection of more than 5.000 items -‐ all of which were stored or
displayed in his house at W. 11th Street in New York. Stone bequeathed approximately 3.500 items to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, of which 360 (non-‐oriental) items were transferred to the
Peabody Museum. Stone also bequeathed over 1.400 Japanese sword mountings to the Cooper Union Museum (now: Cooper–Hewitt, National Design Museum, Smithsonian) in New York, including
600 tsuba. Stones main source of items for his collection was most like the English dealer of tribal art and
ethnographic materials William Ockelford Oldman, who is known to have provided Stones good friend Carl Otto von Kienbusch with collectibles. Oldman's practice was to send interesting items to
the collectors who then chose an item and returned the remainder to Oldman. Due to the position Stone held with the Zinc Company, he was required to frequently travel
throughout the world. Stone used this opportunity to visit arms dealers whenever possible in search for new items for his collection.” (Wikipedia)
Some items from William Oldman`s Ethnographical Weapons Catalogue, traditional weapons
from Nepal, ca 1900-‐1905, London.
Stone`s quote regarding Kukri knifes is still considered one of the best and frequently used by academia, collectors, traders and others.
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