Subject: rebel

Culture: Moplah/Mappilla, Coorg

Setting: anti-British rebellions, Malabar Coast 19th - early 20thc

Object: pichingatti, pichangatti knife

* Leeds City Museum > Collector's Cabinet

"Knife (Pichangatti knife) and sheath

Indian, late 19th century

Wood and metal"

Royal Armouries Museum > War Gallery *

"[....] The knife is reputed to be a trophy from the [Sepoy] rebellion collected by Lieutenant-Colonel C Hemery, Royal Engineers.

It has a silver hilt shaped like a parrot, and [is] set with red stones for eyes, and the scabbard is of wood, decorated with silver. [....]

"Knife (pichangatti)

South Indian, 19th century" ...

* Royal Armouries Museum > Oriental Gallery

"Knife (pichangatti) Indian, Curg, early 19th century

The pichangatti is the normal knife carried by the Curg people of the south west coast.

The chain attached to the scabbard originally terminated in a set of implements

(tweezers, toothpick, earpick and miscellaneous spikes)." ...

Royal Armouries Museum > Oriental Gallery *

"Knife (pichangatti) South Indian, Curg, 19th century

This is an unusual form of pichangatti.

The silver mounts of the scabbard are decorated with flowers suggesting European influence,

and the hilt is also of silver." ...

[QUESTION: Instead of an unusual pichangatti, could this instead be a perfectly usual facón?]

* Rajasthan Gems & Jewellers