Caucasian kindjal

ariel · 7th July 2022, 09:56 PM

i am not sure whether the leather is of “Russian” manufacture. Caucasians had their own. What for some reasons is desirable to contemporary Russian collectors is not the origin, but the color:red.
Why? Because Y is a crooked letter:-)

Ren Ren · 7th July 2022, 11:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ariel

What for some reasons is desirable to contemporary Russian collectors is not the origin, but the color:red.
Why?

In former times, the peoples of the Caucasus had strict rules for public demonstration of social status. For example, among the Kabardians, only princes had the right to wear red shoes. Every nation had similar rules, and weapons covered with red leather declared the high social status of the owner.

ariel · 8th July 2022, 12:08 AM

Ren Ren,
Thanks for the info.I never thought about it.
As to the source of red pigment, I went to Wiki.
Apparently, 16th century visitors to S. America allegedly gave it name Paubrasilia., i.e. “ reddish wood” in Portugese. It became a valuable commodity as a source of red pigment brasilin and as a favourite material for violin bows. It became so profitable and popular, that the entire place in S. America became to be popularly known as Terra do Brasil, Land of Brasil. And that stuck: the entire country became known as Brazil. Fascinating story: the biggest country in S.America got its name from an exotic tree!
Of course, Russian manufacturers of tanned leather did not get the dye directly from Brazil: the dye was exported first to Portugal and from there sold to other European countries. Russians might have imported it from Germany, Poland, somewhere closer to home.

One would immediately think that the varnish used by Stradivari for his red violins employed brasilin as a vital component. Just a little bit closer, but still no cigar.
He used cochilin, a red pigment from the bodies of cactus-eating female bugs from tropical and subtropical America.

ariel · 8th July 2022, 06:46 PM

And just to extend: Paubrasilia is sometimes referred to as Pernambuco (tree).
Here is a similar story but in reverse: the tree got its name from the state of Pernambuco, but the origin of the state name is uncertain: either from a native (extinct) Indian language “ long river” ( Parana river, that is indeed long), or from Portuguese "Boca de Fernão", an old name for the Santa Cruz channel.

One thing I love this Forum for is the urge it gives to digress into surprising directions and learn totally useless things:-)

8th July 2022, 12:08 AM	#3
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	Ren Ren, Thanks for the info.I never thought about it. As to the source of red pigment, I went to Wiki. Apparently, 16th century visitors to S. America allegedly gave it name Paubrasilia., i.e. “ reddish wood” in Portugese. It became a valuable commodity as a source of red pigment brasilin and as a favourite material for violin bows. It became so profitable and popular, that the entire place in S. America became to be popularly known as Terra do Brasil, Land of Brasil. And that stuck: the entire country became known as Brazil. Fascinating story: the biggest country in S.America got its name from an exotic tree! Of course, Russian manufacturers of tanned leather did not get the dye directly from Brazil: the dye was exported first to Portugal and from there sold to other European countries. Russians might have imported it from Germany, Poland, somewhere closer to home. One would immediately think that the varnish used by Stradivari for his red violins employed brasilin as a vital component. Just a little bit closer, but still no cigar. He used cochilin, a red pigment from the bodies of cactus-eating female bugs from tropical and subtropical America. Last edited by ariel; 8th July 2022 at 12:53 AM.

8th July 2022, 06:46 PM	#4
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	And just to extend: Paubrasilia is sometimes referred to as Pernambuco (tree). Here is a similar story but in reverse: the tree got its name from the state of Pernambuco, but the origin of the state name is uncertain: either from a native (extinct) Indian language “ long river” ( Parana river, that is indeed long), or from Portuguese "Boca de Fernão", an old name for the Santa Cruz channel. One thing I love this Forum for is the urge it gives to digress into surprising directions and learn totally useless things:-) Last edited by ariel; 8th July 2022 at 07:08 PM.

7th July 2022, 09:56 PM	#1
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	i am not sure whether the leather is of “Russian” manufacture. Caucasians had their own. What for some reasons is desirable to contemporary Russian collectors is not the origin, but the color:red. Why? Because Y is a crooked letter:-)