[Tim Simmons]

I am going to complicate things further by focusing on the design of the guard/lamp bowl. To me it looks western European but objects do get exported and the French taste was and had been the fashion for a few centuries in Russia which in turn must have influenced the countries under the Tzarist regime but saying that the styles of metalwork from either Morocco or the Caucuses as shown on the shashka hilt, are not like the lamp bowl. This might narrow things down to a western front or eastern front and which Islamic troops fought there that would recognise a six pointed star and also most likely to have access to a French? bayonet. Or should I just shut up bearing in mind the yatagan type blade was used extensivly, I do not know. Tim