Middle eastern sword

mariusgmioc · 11th May 2019, 10:07 PM

Can you please post a photo of the whole blade, not taken at an angle, so that the shape of the blade can be clearly visible?

1870 is probably a correct date, but where does it come from is much more tricky. It is Caucasian for sure but whether is Daghestani or Georgian, is debatable.

rockelk · 12th May 2019, 07:04 PM

I have added a more complete photo.
With Regards, rm

rockelk · 13th May 2019, 06:06 PM

During todays homework I found similar craftmanship on an older auction website. The auction house described the knife as a "Kubachi example" What I found interesting as it was struck with the date (1900, I think) and a asterisk?

Kubur · 13th May 2019, 07:29 PM

Asterisks are not a problem, they are like cheap versions of fabrication stamps
sometimes both sides of the maker's name. Look at my Omarov, eagles both sides instead of asterisks.
Ariel is the expert, but I think like Eric, yours is early 20th c.

rockelk · 13th May 2019, 09:11 PM

Understood and thank you, I am beginning to enjoy the research part of understanding the history of some of these artifacts.

mariusgmioc · 14th May 2019, 10:40 PM

Yes, most likely Daghestani.

rockelk · 15th May 2019, 01:17 AM

Thank you.

ariel · 15th May 2019, 02:52 AM

At that time Vladikavkaz became a very important center of manufacture of Caucasian weapons. Large workshops ( Omarov, Guzunov, Mudunov, Koshtoyants et al) and multiple smaller establishments employed masters from all over Caucasus and Transcaucasia. They utilized a variety of ornamentations irrespective of the ethnic origin of the maker and only names or probirer stamps can pinpoint the origin of the weapon.

Well, weapon is an overstatement: a lion share were sold as souvenirs and decorative costume trinkets. Even Kubachi and Tiflis acquired industrial strength and the ethnic characters of ornamentations were lost. Buyers simply chose what style they wished to have and the shops had them all.

Blue jeans, formerly an idiosyncratic American garb, nowadays are made all over the world, from Vietnam to Guatemala and Ukraine. Most of the erstwhile Druze Majjali daggers were made in large Syrian cities. Industrial globalization did not start yesterday.

12th May 2019, 07:04 PM	#2
rockelk Member Join Date: May 2019 Location: Arizona Posts: 42	Complete photo I have added a more complete photo. With Regards, rm Attached Images

13th May 2019, 06:06 PM	#3
rockelk Member Join Date: May 2019 Location: Arizona Posts: 42	During todays homework I found similar craftmanship on an older auction website. The auction house described the knife as a "Kubachi example" What I found interesting as it was struck with the date (1900, I think) and a asterisk? Attached Images

13th May 2019, 07:29 PM	#4
Kubur Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Posts: 2,145	Asterisks are not a problem, they are like cheap versions of fabrication stamps sometimes both sides of the maker's name. Look at my Omarov, eagles both sides instead of asterisks. Ariel is the expert, but I think like Eric, yours is early 20th c. Attached Images

13th May 2019, 09:11 PM	#5
rockelk Member Join Date: May 2019 Location: Arizona Posts: 42	reply Understood and thank you, I am beginning to enjoy the research part of understanding the history of some of these artifacts.

15th May 2019, 01:17 AM	#7
rockelk Member Join Date: May 2019 Location: Arizona Posts: 42	Thank you. Thank you.

11th May 2019, 10:07 PM	#1
mariusgmioc Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Austria Posts: 1,911	Can you please post a photo of the whole blade, not taken at an angle, so that the shape of the blade can be clearly visible? 1870 is probably a correct date, but where does it come from is much more tricky. It is Caucasian for sure but whether is Daghestani or Georgian, is debatable.

14th May 2019, 10:40 PM	#6
mariusgmioc Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Austria Posts: 1,911	Yes, most likely Daghestani.

15th May 2019, 02:52 AM	#8
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	At that time Vladikavkaz became a very important center of manufacture of Caucasian weapons. Large workshops ( Omarov, Guzunov, Mudunov, Koshtoyants et al) and multiple smaller establishments employed masters from all over Caucasus and Transcaucasia. They utilized a variety of ornamentations irrespective of the ethnic origin of the maker and only names or probirer stamps can pinpoint the origin of the weapon. Well, weapon is an overstatement: a lion share were sold as souvenirs and decorative costume trinkets. Even Kubachi and Tiflis acquired industrial strength and the ethnic characters of ornamentations were lost. Buyers simply chose what style they wished to have and the shops had them all. Blue jeans, formerly an idiosyncratic American garb, nowadays are made all over the world, from Vietnam to Guatemala and Ukraine. Most of the erstwhile Druze Majjali daggers were made in large Syrian cities. Industrial globalization did not start yesterday.