Georgian Saber

[ariel]

Got it VERY cheap on e-bay.
These puppies are rare.
The handle is covered with nielloed silver and the belt alone is a treasure, with several attachements and beautifully nielloed silver. Nothing is hallmarked, of course: even then Georgians were free spirits and economic anarchists; the idea of paying taxes to the Russian treasury never appealed to them. There are 3 Russian coins attached, the latest one from 1916.
The scabbard betrays a very pragmatic approach: brass instead of silver, in a Khevsuri style. The blade.... Well, at that time swordfights were on a decline, to put it mildly, and the quality of the blade is not great. But, of course, there are multiple " gurda" signs to advertise the blade's deadly ability and ancient origin.
One would wear this saber to a famous Georgian banquet, with wine flowing like water, tables screeching under the weight of food and with unending and very flowery toasts by a Tamada ( head toastmaster) quoting poems by Rustaveli and leading the entire company's polyphonic singing.
Love these people....