Kindjal with Gurian-Adjarian type blade

[Gustav]

For viewing pleasure a Kindjal with Gurian-Adjarian type blade, with twisted damascene rods in the grooves. Likely somebody was keen to collect the bit of gold from the maker's stamps on the blade. No stamps on the silver parts of the sheath, but this kind of niello work, as was pointed out to me, is characteristic for silversmiths coming from Van.

I guess the whole would be around 1840-50.

Remarks, details, opinions?

[Gustav]

The remnants of maker's marks... some elements still are similar.

[AvtoGaz]

The silverwork is indeed reminiscent of the type often done by the Armenian silversmiths of Van.

This item is from Turkey, probably made in Trabzon. I think its a later piece, although in Guria and Adjaria proper such daggers had fallen out of fashion, in Trabzon they were still used in the late 19th century. The fittings could be local or maybe even imported from Van. In the Caucasus Armenian jewelers who used to decorate weapons were out-competed by the new large-scale Dagestani production and mostly switched over to making belts and other jewelry, however in Van they continued their work up until the genocide.

[Gustav]

Thank you very much for your opinion!

A question - as I understand, the work with twisted damascene bars died out in Caucasus after probably at latest 1860. Was it done longer in Turkey/Trabzon Vilayat? How long?


The same question regarding the handle - as I understand, this type of handle - one piece, with small "shoulders" - did disappear in Caucasus around 1860 or earlier. Was it done longer in Trabzon?

[Gustav]

My assumption of probable age as 1840-50 is based on fact the blade has twisted damascene in fullers, configuration of fullers is less fancy then later work of this type of blade, handle is old style. Here an example with almost identical motifs on silverwork (compared to which my example is only second or third tier of course) - https://caucasianarms.com/collection...l-tipa-kama-11
This example, while with different kind of blade, also has an old style handle with "shoulders".