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11" Wish Granting Engraved Nepalese Kukri with Bronze Coin and Copper Sheath circa 1958 - An 1888 LiDiex Gift and Green Tara Altar Find - The Voodoo Estate

11" Wish Granting Engraved Nepalese Kukri with Bronze Coin and Copper Sheath circa 1958 - An 1888 LiDiex Gift and Green Tara Altar Find - The Voodoo Estate

Price:

$89.90

Brand:

Voodoo Estate

Condition:

Used

Weight:

504.00 Grams

Shipping:

Free Shipping

Product Description

~ Voodoo Priestess Estate ~ ©

11" Wish Granting Engraved Nepalese Kukri with Bronze Coin and Copper Sheath, circa 1958

An 1888 LiDiex Gift and Green Tara Altar Find

~!~ This is another of our very long listings with an abundant text and 21 photographs, so please be patient and read the write-up through. If you have come this far, we feel you will find it was worth the wait.

Well over twenty-four and a half years have now passed since we were called to do the estate that had been closed up for seventeen years!

The Voodoo Estate! This type of call usually gets us excited as they are a treasure trove. Located here in Florida, there was no electricity or running water so we rigged our own lighting and in we went. If you have ever seen the Adams Family you will have some idea as to what we were greeted with! Then the attorney handling the liquidation gave us some background. The estate had belonged to an alleged powerful Voodoo Priestess/JooJoo Exorcist, grand daughter of a Marie Laveau, and favored daughter of a Marie Glapion. These names meant nothing to us, but the late night talk of Voodoo and exorcism in the old mansion was enough to make us decide to spend the night in a hotel and return in the morning to assess the estate. The rest is history.

Our research has shown that this woman was what she claimed and was indeed descended from a long line of a well known Vodoun family originating in New Orleans in the early 1800's. We were pretty unnerved by this until we discovered they were also devout Catholics! Although I have to admit this was unlike any Catholic home we have ever been in and some of the items found inside were a little more than disturbing. There was no feeling of dread or unwelcome in the mansion, however there was quite a bit of contraband and other items we can or will not sell here. This is one of a few pieces from this estate we will be listing this week, so check our other items. We will, upon the new guardian's request, issue a named Letter of Authenticity with each lot from this estate, complying with the terms set forth to us by the estate's attorney.Some Back Story
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The Tara AltarsThe grounds of this estate, although overgrown when we encountered it, had apparently been a well maintained, park-like setting that was full of exotic species of flowering trees and plants. In walking the grounds, machetes in hand we found nine pond gardens, with teak benches that faced shrines to nine Tara. The first of these was aptly named in her journals and inventory as, "The Altar to Green Tara." A simple stone and wood structure that contained a large Green Tara Thangka, five bronze depictions of Green Tara, a single Narmada River Shiva Lingam she felt bore attributes that enabled her and her associates the ability to connect to her, and a small variety of alter implements used to present offerings, such as this kukri. The shrine also incorporated an integral wooden box that contained an unidentified green powder that we later learned from her journals, was used for what is described as continuous line drawings that would be made on the paths in the front, sides and back of this shrine in the manner of traditional Vèvé, Kolam, and Sigils by pouring a powder-offering. This is a common thread of practices she and her followers employed at many of the altar locations in this estate using such material as flour, bark, cornmeal, red brick powder, gunpowder, bloodroot, human, animal ash or blood, specific sands or a crushed shell they favored. Often this material would be mixed and used with other talisman for a specific individual rite to be used in their religious practices. ~!~ Her journals tell us the Tara Altars were dedicated in 1939, and that they (she and her practitioners), "would contemplate and expand upon the secret teachings of emptiness and compassion. Her Om Tare Tuttare Ture Svaha mantra is an enlightening experience, as is Her invocation and should be experienced by all, regardless of religious belief." She goes on to describe just that, noting of bringing unindoctrinated guests for walks of contemplation along these paths and teaching them mantra at these shrines. Some of the entries made in her journals pertaining to the "tantric meditation and invocation of the Tara" and of these altars read; "In reciting Tara mantra while producing your line drawing, offering and invocation, bear this in mind. The words have a double meaning. Om the constellations that devours evil by thy chant, the meaning being supplanted by the traditional meaning, Om." "She is a goddess of universal compassion, and virtuous enlightenment. Her love and compassion for us is greater than a mother's love of her children. Petition Her for protection during travel, longevity, and guidance along your spiritual journey to enlightenment."

"She is an Avatar of Parvati that is easily petitioned with mantra, imagery and lingam of the Narmada River.”

“She is a being of enlightenment of the twelfth bhumi who is able to fulfill all wishes. She is the manifestation of compassion of all of the Buddha’s who carries out and accomplishes their enlightened practice.”

Green Tara
Green Tara is a tantric meditation deity whose practice and imagery is used by practitioners of the Tibetan branch of Vajrayana Buddhism to develop inner qualities and understand outer, inner and secret teachings of compassion and emptiness. Tara is actually the generic name for a set of Buddha’s or bodhisattva’s of similar aspect. These may be properly understood as different aspects of the same quality, as bodhisattva’s are metaphoric for Buddhist virtue’s.

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The KukriFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, for the most part...

The kukri is a type of knife or short sword with a distinct recurve in its blade that originated in the Indian subcontinent. It serves multiple purposes as a melee weapon and also as a regular cutting/chopping tool throughout most of South Asia. The kukri, khukri, and kukkri spellings are of Nepali English origin.

The kukri is the national weapon of Nepal, traditionally serving the role of a basic utility knife for the Nepali-speaking Gurkhas, and consequently is a characteristic weapon of the Nepali Army.

Since the kukri's earliest recorded use in the 7th century, it has accumulated a number of myths, the most persistent being that the blade must draw blood before it can be sheathed, a belief rooted in the misconception that the kukri exists purely as a weapon of war. In reality, the knife's uses extend far beyond combat. Nepalese farmers and laborers rely on it to cut crops and clear brush, hunters use it to skin and dress game, and it doubles as a tool for cooking and woodworking. In certain Nepalese religious traditions, it also carries ceremonial significance.

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Her journals and inventory tell us the kukri was a gift from the 1888 LiDiex, procured by him from a Nepali Trader she names as Gagan Paswan. Unfortunately, that is the only entry we have been able to attribute to the acquisition of this knife and there is no information concerning its past.

Still, it does give us some limited insight into its history and of the trader, as Gagan is a fairly common Nepali name. Nepal, being a caste system country gives us a clue with the surname Paswan which literally makes him an untouchable.

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1888 LiDiex

The research involved in this estate provides continuous fascination. It is a man known only as "LiDiex" who is attributed with the procurement of this Kukri. A 4th. generation descendant of the original Man Known Only As "LiDiex" who was said to be the sole survivor and saboteur of the slave Ship Henrietta Marie in 1701, who found his way to New Orleans to meet with the parents of the then infant grandmother of our priestess, Marie Laveau. The original LiDiex was a wood carver as were many of his descendants. This is another case of the multi-generational relationships we have encountered with this family as the LiDiex all had a strong association with these women. In her journals he is the least mentioned of the LiDiex, yet he kept a suite of rooms with her from the time of his sixteenth birthday. Apparently he would leave for periods of up to a decade at a time before returning, shutting himself in her estate for lengthy periods before leaving again. He is attributed with the design and consecration of the "Resurrection Skull Altar" and most of the ceremonial spells used with it.Her journals and those of a number of her live in practitioner followers, most notably the LiDiex, tell of this altar being used in ritual resurrection and invocation ceremonies. There are some pretty fantastic tales of animating inanimate objects, most notably a number of articulated skulls, using specific minerals, potions, elixirs and the body fluids and parts of reptiles.

He is described as being "in excess of six feet of sinewy muscle, deceptively strong, easily matching two of his size in their grappling" and "extensively, shaved, tattooed and pierced." in addition to "shown to be capable of high magic without devices." Both their journals claim his ability to heal wounds, shape shift, travel through time and space, telepath and create life with the power of his thought.

It is this LiDiex who is attributed with making her introduction to Alexandra David Neel and his journals tell of numerous meetings and short adventures with her. Claiming at the age of twenty four to have met Neel for the second time in the company of Prince Sidkeong of Sikkim and of being her teacher of the Tibetan language having already spent six years with the Great Hermit as apprentice. He also claims to have been "expelled by the Great Hermit for divulging Tulpa technique to the mystic whore."

Both their journals claim him to have mastered this ability to "thought form" at an early age, "born with it" as they note. Claiming, "by my thought they form as mist, taking solid form usually as something that appears playful. Knowing their ways, grooming them for their rebellious phase, as it is then they mature and can be used for deadly purpose in exchange for their freedom of my will. This allows it to develop into a living entity of it's own, freethinking and free willed. It is always capable of performing minor feats of magic."

Much is already written on these subjects, so there is no need to elaborate here in this already overly long text, but we wholeheartedly recommend a cursory search for some very interesting reading.~!~

Examination reveals a miniature kukri measuring approximately 11" in overall length with a 6 3/4" forged and engraved high carbon steel blade with a 5/16" thick spine and a 4 1/4" rosewood handle and copper fittings.

The kukri weighs 9 ounces.

The engraving on one side of the blade depicts a water dragon (Naga) about to feed on a koi while the opposite side of the blade depicts more koi, a parasol, a vase of treasure and lotus flower. These are auspicious signs used in Buddhism.

The blade displays some rust along the spine where the thumb would come into contact and a spot near the tip, most likely from blood, along with an area near the tang from exposure to the air. The copper fittings are also oxidized. Our resident blade expert tells us these areas will clean up with a bit of elbow grease, fine grit sandpaper and a Nagura stone. As much as we were tempted to repolish the blade and sheath, we were loathe to destroy it's As Found condition and our blade polisher charges $100 an inch! He did however agree to provide one of his precious postage stamp sized stones and instruct you in its use at no additional charge (bless his heart).

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The Sheath

Made from heavy (10/12 oz) water buffalo leather covered wood with a copper throat, tip and 1950's Nepalese coinage, along with a brass sun face, Hindu God Surya, an engraved crescent moon and Mt Everest and twenty-five of the original twenty six, 6.35 mm brass border studs (one is missing).

The belt loop will accommodate a belt up to 2" in width.

The two small tools tucked into a traditional kukri sheath are the Karda and the Chakmak. The Karda is a small, utility knife designed for fine cutting too precise for the large kukri blade. The Chakmak is a blunt steel tool with an unsharpened edge used to hone and maintain the main blade's edge, or to strike against flint to create sparks for a fire.
Both are crude, unpolished and unsharpened, one with a wood handle and the other with a buffalo horn handle. Both show surface rust and tool marks.

One measures approximately 3 5/8" and the other 3 1/8" in overall length.

The kukri is tight in the sheath and needs to be broken in. It is meant to be a friction fit for safety, but this one is tight.

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Small Kukri Knives are compact versions of the main weapon itself. Small kukris typically feature blades ranging from 3 to 8 inches in length. These smaller fixed-blade versions are used for everyday carry, bushcraft, and camping tasks where a full-sized machete-length kukri is too heavy or large.

They are highly regarded as a compact version of the historic Nepalese military design, balancing field utility with collector appeal.

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Some of their ledger entries indicate it was used at altar in love and luck ceremonies as a knife to chop and cut herbs and other ingredients and as a pointer, a magic wand of sorts, in which focused energy would be directed out through the point while sighting along the spine of the blade. This is a fairy common use of a blade in combat with ritual magic.

And that concludes this writeup of what is certainly a nicely aged vintage Kukri with an extraordinary provenance that is much nicer than our photographer has been able to depict.

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We have been contacted and visited by a number of people who were interested in the items from this estate since our first batch was listed. Among the buyers have been known psychics and practitioners. More than one, after adorning themselves or handling their purchase, stated "this is a woman of power!" Many of our customers, after receiving items from this estate have reported dream contacts and other unexplained phenomenon. Unusual, authentic Voodoo Priestess Estate piece and at a bargain price! This is truly a rare opportunity to own anything with attributes to this estate. The majority of this estate is now gone. Most of what we had left, and it was considerable, has been split up and sold to a couple of private, foreign collector practitioners and will never be available to the public again. We made the decision to do this as we have had some pretty strange visits from even stranger individuals and there have been enough unexplained phenomenon going on in the warehouse where her things were kept that many of our employees refused to go in there. The pieces offered and sold here are some of the few remaining that will ever be offered to the public. Nice addition to any collection, altar, wardrobe or decor, displays really well. Really doesn't get any better than this. There are only 21 photographs below to tell the rest of this tale.
New Guardian is to pay $0.00 for Insured Ground Shipping with Tracking, handling and lagniappe. Rest assured your order will be carefully packed to withstand the onslaught of the most deranged of parcel carriers.

International Buyer's, please email us for a shipping quote.

Payment is due at listing end.

Check our other listings, and sign up for our newsletter as new items are usually listed daily.

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The props are not part of the deal, but you knew that already.

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