Osman Omarov

[Kubur]

Dear All,

I look for information about Osman Omarov, the famous kindjal maker or the group of kindjals markers.
Do you have any information's or references about him?
Thank you

Regards,
Kubur

[mahratt]

Osman Omarov was master of cold arms comes from the village of Gazi-Kumukh Lak (born in 1850). At the end of XIX - early XX century, it had a workshop in Vladikavkaz, in her working 15-20 workers. Other sources name different figure - 40-50. In 1900 the institution consisted of a workshop where they made blade, jewelry shop and shop.
Workshop Osman Omarova took orders for shashka, daggers for producing Cossack troops and hunting knives, as well as taking orders for gold and silver openwork. Particularly intensive workshop worked during World War I, in 1914, it employs 70 people. Steel product obtained from Vladikavkaz railway workshops. Blades are made for regular troops and distributed on the spot. Frequent customers were Cossacks. Blades workshop Osman Omarova enjoyed their greatest popularity

[Kubur]

Thank you very much
Do you have an idea of the hallmark and stamps?
And do you know where I can see some kindjal or shashka produced by him?
I know almost nothing in kindjal but I would like to have some informations.
Thanks again!!!!!

[kahnjar1]

Here you go.....
http://www.collectorsmilitaria.com/an_excellent_19th_Silver_Mounted_century_caucasion _Khindjal_by_Osman_Omarov_032509.htm
Stu

[ariel]

There were quite a few of such workshops : Omarov, Mudunov, Guzunov, Koshtoyanz etc. All of them capitalized on a fascination with " all things exotic" pervading Russian society after the Conquest of the Caucasus. Georgia was absorbed, Daghestan was drowned in blood, Circassians were exiled en masse, but.... Russian Tsars pranced around on Caucasian steeds, while wearing Causasian clothes, Caucasian hats ( papakhas) and carrying Caucasian shashkas and kindjals presented to them by their " adoring Caucasian subjects". For a small-time Russian aristocracy or middle-class , no trip to the Caucasian mineral springs was considered complete without bringing back a richly -decorated kindjal with a gaudy inscription, having a photograph taken while wearing a full set of Caucasian attire or, for a Russian matron, without having a fling with a passionate swarthy and mustachioed mountaineer.


The "vanquished" became trendsetters.

On top of that, a military version of Caucasian Shashka became a standard weapon of the Cossack Hosts, that were utterly devoid of any productive abilities and had to order prodigious amounts of the already outdated bladed weaponry elsewhere: from Belgium, Poland, Zlatoust, and,- yes,- local enterprises.



In this climate, mass-production of rich and often gaudy Caucasian weapons became a profitable business. These were for the most part expensive baubles, with blades of rather poor quality but with tons of silver, ivory, gilding and blood-curdling inscriptions. The workshops employed itinerant workers from all over and specific ethnic decoration styles coalesced into an amorphous "Caucasian" hodge-podge.

There were fabulous Caucasian masters, no doubt, and I am in love with their weapons, but I could never bring myself to buying a "workshop" kindjal.

Anyone interested in the history of Caucasus, should read a book by Leslie Blanch "Sabres of Paradise". I give it 10 stars out of 5!!! Schedule a week-long vacation, because you will not be able to put it down:-)

[Kubur]

Thanks Stu. I would like to see more stamps.
And I'm concern by the dating of this production: late 19th, beginning of the 20th c. It's quiet vague...

[mahratt]

I recommend the book to find Astvatsaturyan E. G. Weapons of peoples of the Caucasus. SPb., 2004

[Martin Lubojacky]

Dear Kubur,

There exists monograph on Osman Omarov identification marks. Written by V. V. Parishkura and published in Krasnodar, 2011. I enclose some pictures.
Regards,
Martin
P.S.
Re. Khanjar 1 reference - shouldn´t the Omarov´s mark be on the blade ???

[Martin Lubojacky]

Sorry Khandjar 1, I omitted the mark. It is there !
Martin

[Kubur]

Thank you very much Marat, Ariel and Martin.
Very useful comments and references.