Introduction

The kora is a peculiar slashing sword that is unique to Nepal. Curved, sharpened on the inside, and with a widened tip. The shape is thought to be ancient, originating in the 9th or 10th century, but most extant examples date from the late 18th to 19th century. By the mid-19th century, it had largely fallen into disuse.

The earliest depiction of a kora appears in Kirkpatrick's account of the kingdom of Nepal, describing observations from a 1793 diplomatic mission.

A kora sword depicted in Kirkpatrick's 1811 account of the Kingdom of Nepal, 
based on observations during a 1793 expedition.

This example

Our kora is remarkably similar to the example illustrated above, down to the engravings/inlays at the tip of the blade.

Description

It has an early-style blade, which tends to be straighter and more slender than later examples. The blade was once engraved, but most of the engravings are worn off. Near the tip there were a number of brass inays, some of the brass is still there but in other places only the channels remain. Besides the wear, the condition is pretty good and the edge still intact with no nicks or cracks.

The hilt is the typical double disc format, with a wrapped grip section that is lacquered. The ornamental pommel is a series of stacked discs on a stalk.

Scabbard

The scabbard is very good. It is made of fine quality black dyed goatskin. The top half is decorated with very peacock quill embroidery. The work is incredibly fine, and this is the largest surface of such work I've seen on any Nepalese scabbard in private or museum collections. The scabbard leather is also subtly tooled on the front and stitched on the back in a Y form.

Comparable examples

A similar kora is published in Holstein, again down to the engravings at the tip. This time, it has a different type of scabbard that is very narrow, a I've had these before; a long slot on the side allows the blade to slide in. On the same page are to the far left a rare 18th-century khukurī⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

P. Holstein; Contribution à l’Etude Des Armes Orientaux. Vol II. Paris, 1931. Plate XXXVI.

Condition

Loss of some engravings and inlays on the blade through years of cleaning and polishing. There is some scabbard damage as well, with losses to the leather here and there; see photos.

Conclusion

Despite the wear and losses, this is a rather important kora, among the earliest a collector can expect to find, complete with scabbard. Its blade decor is nearly identical to the first-ever depiction of a kora.