Quote:
Originally Posted by Jim McDougall
As you say, it would seem that this impression of the 'Passau wolf' is quite specifically done and corresponds to the choppy 'Picasso' like examples of Passau and Solingen over centuries. The plate you show is of course from Wagner, 1967 and is misleading as it suggests a chronological evolution of this mark. These varied widely in execution and did not have such development but were simply interpretations by the workmen who applied them.
While the 'wolf' basically went out of use in Solingen (it had been gone from Passau for centuries) by the 18th century. At some point with the European imports of blades into the Caucusus, they began copying the European marks as symbolic of quality. The wolf was applied on the blades from Chechnya and somewhat Daghestan later, but usually the renderings were more realistic (as seen on the plate from the Russian book) ...........while the examples that lent more toward the choppy stylized form were termed 'ters maymal' . This is VERY loosely interpreted in Chechen as 'screaming monkey'.
As far as I have known, there are few examples of 'Georgian' shashka. These regions with Tiflis (now Tblisi) were more of a 'United Nations' it seems, with heavy trade and traffic from surrounding regions. There were strong commercial activities there which included production of all manner of weapons, many of the craftsmen were Armenians and other nationalities.
This suggestion of 'Georgian' is in my opinion a suggestion that it is made in Tblisi (modern).
The one thing I am troubled by on this item is the hilt material, which I cannot say for certain is ivory (I dont know enough of that material).
I have always thought that ivory tended to yellow, like bone, in time.
Absolutely WONDERFUL sword display!!
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Great info about Passau/Solingen, I knew it was always a loose interpretation.
The Wolf mark is exactly the same as what is published in that Russian book, which lends it to being 19th century. The leader of the FB group thinks the blade resembles the 1881 model, but I am not sure of that myself.
The material has thoroughly confused me, a buddy of mine who's looked at it thinks it is likely either marine Ivory (possibly walrus) or mammoth, as mammoth at one point was in great supply. Ivory is new to me, I've been trying to figure it out obviously but hopefully, someone with some real experience with ivory can elucidate what better to look for.
Thank you! It has steadily grown over the past couple of years, currently, I have two on the list in my sights, an Ames 1852 Civil War era US Naval Officers sword, and most of all (has been on my list for quite some time) a French First Empire Mamelouk sabre. Just recently missed a chance to grab a stellar example because I was too slow, ugh!