[Jim McDougall]

Very nice piece AJ !
While this shashka does resemble Uzbek examples, which is likely a better classification than Bukharen in this case, it should be noted that Afghan examples also bear close resemblances. In research done many years ago in trying to identify one of these it seems that the authorities I consulted emphasized this dilemma.Uzbekistan shares a southern border with Afghanistan, and as Dom notes, Bukharen weapons often show a propensity toward the use of turquoise in decoration, but it seems more on daggers. The Bukharen sabres actually are not related to shashkas and are seen with much different hilts, typically with five rivets.

Uzbek shashkas do have this type of long silvered scabbard tip, usually fluted,and it is important to note the extension of the backstrap of the hilt, a characteristic of Central Asian weapons such as Khyber knives as well as shamshirs and of course, these shashkas. The rudimentary work on this appears possibly early 20th century, these are usually calyx shaped.

Regardless, these are extremely rare weapons that seldom turn up in auctions as far as I have seen, and I would presume this is a Uzbek shashka from regions toward Afghanistan. Russia's "Great Game" from 1813 until the beginning of the 20th century established Bukhara, Khiva and many of these principalities as protectorates, and the influence of Caucasian shashkas used by officers in Russian regiments including Cossacks seems likely to have entered these regions through the 19th century.

All the best,
Jim