Kuttai / Bhuj Axe, Sindh, India / Pakistan

Kuttai is a short pole arm from Sindh Also known as Bhuj (after the city of  Bhuj, the Capital of Kutch district in Gujaret India), or Elephant knife after the shape of the bolster (see below). The Kuttai was carried by Sindh cavalry warriors to intimidate opponents and as mark of nobility. The Kuttai has very characteristic features: A short heavy blade slightly re curving and with a short clipped spine. The bolsters are shaped as an elephant head (Hence the title as elephant knife) and a considerable part of the blade is covered with silver engraved silver or gold sheet. The Kuttai comes almost always with a short concealed blade at the butt.

The Kuttai offered here is a high class exemplar. blade is covered with engraved gilded silver foil. The elephant head bolster is mounted with green and red stones and wholy gilded. bolster as well as the haft are also gilded. The scabbard and the  copper haft is gilded and densely chased in floral design, As expected, the butt carries a short blade.

Blade 7 1/2 inches (18 cm). Total length 24 1/2 inches (63 cm). very good condition. Some losses to the gilding on the haft. A scarce 19 C. article.