Original British WWI Dated and Unit Marked MkII Pattern Kukri with Hard Leather Scabbard Original Items

Original Item: One Only. The Gurkha Kukri is possibly the most recognizable and famous fighting knife ever developed. Indigenous to the mountain Kingdom of Nepal, home of the Gurkhas who were “absorbed” into the British sphere of influence with the Treaty of Seguli in 1816. These ferocious fighters were infamous for their valor and for using the kukri an amazing “Tool of Death”. It is a forward leaning leaf shaped blade, which provided the user with leveraged striking power. The kukri was became an everyday tool as much as it was a deadly weapon. Introduced long before the British arrived in the early 19th century, the Kukri became standard equipment for Gurkha Regiments serving in the British Army. Ironically the earliest Kukris are the largest, which seems improbable as improvements in nutrition and health care has resulted in mankind in general being much larger today than in 1800, yet with Kukris it is the exact reverse.

This kukri originates from our 2003 purchase of the Royal Nepalese Arsenal, which was located at the palace of Lagan Silekhana in Katmandu, Nepal. The purchase included a considerable number of military issue Kukris, including a very small number of British-Issued WW2-dated MkII Pattern Kukris. These examples were produced in India and Nepal under British Contracts for the War effort, and are very hard to find on the market today.

This example is in very good condition, and is probably one of the most interesting MkII Kukris we have had, in terms of markings. Onc side has a circle inside a half circle, while the other side has British issue markings. These include Co. I I G under a Broad Arrow, and then II / 19(2)1 / 36. However it appears that date marking is stamped over another date, which may be 1910 or 1920. We do not know what the 36 stands for. This may be some type of transitional pattern introduced, or a kukri that was repaired at arsenal several times.

This example has a 13 1/4 inch blade, and an overall length of 17 1/2 inches. The blade is in good condition, with no major chips or missing areas. The edge is good, and overall it’s in great shape, with just a bit of light pitting in small areas. The grip scales are in good condition, with some chips near the pommel and dents, but no major cracks. As with other MkII Kukris, this example has a full length and width blade tang, which significantly increased the durability of the kukri when compared to the small partial tang earlier versions had.

The hard leather scabbard is in very good condition, with the leather completely intact, and the brass nose cap still in place. It is marked CO 1944 / C (Broad Arrow) 877, and fits the kukri well. This is one of the last of these kukris that we will have to offer, and makes a great addition to any Nepalese collection.