Khevsur sabre for comments

Mefidk · 5th March 2021, 06:05 PM

Here is what I believe to be an interesting sword from an lesser known people in the arms collecting world (although I'm sure they are well known to some here). I have to say at the outset that I am absolutely no expert in these, but I've been in touch with Jim who I hope will share his thoughts.

I guess the pictures pretty much speak for themselves. The blade has certainly seen better days, obviously got rusted badly towards the last third of one side at some point in time. The sword itself is quite nice to handle, fairly light . Blade length is 776mm with a total length of 902mm, blade width at base 32mm.

The markings are a 'gurda' mark on one side near the hilt. The other side has CV (EV?) and then floral patterns with a opposing gurdas in the middle.

Mefidk · 5th March 2021, 06:08 PM

Some more pictures.

Bob A · 5th March 2021, 06:27 PM

To my untrained and increasingly elderly eyes, some of the markings - the "floral" set specifically - look unusually crisp, given the erosion of the surface of the sword. I'd have thought they'd have been more affected.

eftihis · 5th March 2021, 06:52 PM

I amnot sure if it is KHevsur, or from other area of Georgia. For sure the leather on tehhandle is a caucasus characteristic. What i know as Khevsur swords are below

kronckew · 5th March 2021, 08:45 PM

Khevsurli stuff is cool.

Mine: http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...hlight=khevsur

My Khevsuli pranguli: I have since managed to find a proper georgian/Khevsur black leather baldric for it.

Mefidk · 6th March 2021, 07:41 AM

I've got to say that the examples you guys post are much nicer than mine which seems to be towards the functional end of the spectrum. However, at least in the pictures I see on the net, the more flamboyant hilt seems to be the norm.

Regarding the floral markings, I agree they do seem a little sharp, but partly that is due to the contrasty picture I used to bring the marks forward a bit. They are in a very much less corroded part of the blade and the parts not in the fullers are shallower. I think possibly deeply marked originally. At least I can't see why anyone would go to the considerable trouble of adding these to an old blade. This is not one of the high value swords shown by eftihis.

kronckew · 6th March 2021, 09:25 AM

Splendid photos, Mefidk.

They correspond to the anecdote in http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showpo...7&postcount=13 by ariel, which is one of my favourite stories.

Here in part:
========
There is a famous story about a sudden appearance of a band of mounted Khevsurs wearing chain mails, swords and shields in Tbilisi in the summer of 1915: they just heard that the Russian Tsar was at war with .. who knows whom ... and wanted to join his army. The news did not reach their mountain villages on time and the winter snows blocked the gorges. So, they came as fast as they could:-)

They had their peculiar weapons: satiteni ( fighting rings) and Dashna, short swords made of broken sword blades. Both were in active daily use as late as 1960s. Kind of, never leave home without it:-)

Splendid bastards. For Clausewitz war was yet another instrument of politics, but for Khevsurs it was a way of life.
======

I gather they were really disappointed they'd missed the start of the war.

My sword was sold by a Khevsurli to the Tbilisi dealer I bought it from. I suspect it was one of those still in use in the 1960s, but the seller never mentioned its origin or age. I've been told the Khevsurli are looked down on as low class barbarians by the Georgians. Personally, I do not think it's a good idea to anger one tho.

Update: Missing video from my earlier thread: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MmF8jjNGkWs

Khevsuri Knights 1915: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQbjthN5mK4

5th March 2021, 06:05 PM	#1
Mefidk Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Denmark Posts: 157	Khevsur sabre for comments Here is what I believe to be an interesting sword from an lesser known people in the arms collecting world (although I'm sure they are well known to some here). I have to say at the outset that I am absolutely no expert in these, but I've been in touch with Jim who I hope will share his thoughts. I guess the pictures pretty much speak for themselves. The blade has certainly seen better days, obviously got rusted badly towards the last third of one side at some point in time. The sword itself is quite nice to handle, fairly light . Blade length is 776mm with a total length of 902mm, blade width at base 32mm. The markings are a 'gurda' mark on one side near the hilt. The other side has CV (EV?) and then floral patterns with a opposing gurdas in the middle. Attached Images

5th March 2021, 06:08 PM	#2
Mefidk Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Denmark Posts: 157	Some more pictures. Attached Images

5th March 2021, 06:52 PM	#4
eftihis Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Chania Crete Greece Posts: 507	I amnot sure if it is KHevsur, or from other area of Georgia. For sure the leather on tehhandle is a caucasus characteristic. What i know as Khevsur swords are below Attached Images

5th March 2021, 08:45 PM	#5
kronckew Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Room 101, Glos. UK Posts: 4,184	Khevsurli stuff is cool. Mine: http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...hlight=khevsur My Khevsuli pranguli: I have since managed to find a proper georgian/Khevsur black leather baldric for it. Attached Images Last edited by kronckew; 6th March 2021 at 09:31 AM. Reason: oops, had to resize image, no longer missing.

6th March 2021, 07:41 AM	#6
Mefidk Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Denmark Posts: 157	I've got to say that the examples you guys post are much nicer than mine which seems to be towards the functional end of the spectrum. However, at least in the pictures I see on the net, the more flamboyant hilt seems to be the norm. Regarding the floral markings, I agree they do seem a little sharp, but partly that is due to the contrasty picture I used to bring the marks forward a bit. They are in a very much less corroded part of the blade and the parts not in the fullers are shallower. I think possibly deeply marked originally. At least I can't see why anyone would go to the considerable trouble of adding these to an old blade. This is not one of the high value swords shown by eftihis. Attached Images

5th March 2021, 06:27 PM	#3
Bob A Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Posts: 427	To my untrained and increasingly elderly eyes, some of the markings - the "floral" set specifically - look unusually crisp, given the erosion of the surface of the sword. I'd have thought they'd have been more affected.

6th March 2021, 09:25 AM	#7
kronckew Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Room 101, Glos. UK Posts: 4,184	Splendid photos, Mefidk. They correspond to the anecdote in http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showpo...7&postcount=13 by ariel, which is one of my favourite stories. Here in part: ======== There is a famous story about a sudden appearance of a band of mounted Khevsurs wearing chain mails, swords and shields in Tbilisi in the summer of 1915: they just heard that the Russian Tsar was at war with .. who knows whom ... and wanted to join his army. The news did not reach their mountain villages on time and the winter snows blocked the gorges. So, they came as fast as they could:-) They had their peculiar weapons: satiteni ( fighting rings) and Dashna, short swords made of broken sword blades. Both were in active daily use as late as 1960s. Kind of, never leave home without it:-) Splendid bastards. For Clausewitz war was yet another instrument of politics, but for Khevsurs it was a way of life. ====== I gather they were really disappointed they'd missed the start of the war. My sword was sold by a Khevsurli to the Tbilisi dealer I bought it from. I suspect it was one of those still in use in the 1960s, but the seller never mentioned its origin or age. I've been told the Khevsurli are looked down on as low class barbarians by the Georgians. Personally, I do not think it's a good idea to anger one tho. Update: Missing video from my earlier thread: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MmF8jjNGkWs Khevsuri Knights 1915: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQbjthN5mK4 Last edited by kronckew; 6th March 2021 at 10:11 AM.