Yuri! THIS is REALLY esoteric!
I honestly had never heard of these situations amidst the incredible complexity of those regions, but with your location and history in the Black Sea areas it is understandable you would be interested.
While I do not have adequate resources in these topics, in my thinking this sword seems too detailed to have been from the artists imagination. Typically I presume the studded leather grip would have been foregone for a more elaborate entirely gold metal styling as smallswords of the time would have.
If I understand correctly from references years ago, the Russian military and Navy were quite fond of elaborate awards with and on edged weapons. While the title 'Golden Weapon of the Septisi Republic' suggested some sort of regalia award that was a standard in place, it is obscure and would be hard to find in general resources with the limited and esoteric area.
Still, maybe by comparing extant patterns of Russian swords of the time we might find something of influence.
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