Two shashkas for comment

ariel · 6th June 2016, 08:19 AM

Circassians got most of their blades from Crimea and European exports.
But there are Daghestani blades with obvious European provenance. I have a Daghestani one with old German blade.
It's late ( 2 am) and I am too tired to look, but Astvatsaturyan cites a Russian traveler who was dumbfounded finding piles of old blades in a Daghestani workshop: Genoese, Andrea Ferara, Solingen, you name it... But in general you are absolutely right.

The same Astvatsaturyan writes that most of the so-called "Hungarian " blades " Vivat Hussar" were in fact German. Just as most blades with Genoese "jaws" these days are found on Indian tulwars. Follow the money:-)
Arabs prized Hungarian blades very much, called them Majjar ( Magyar). Little did they know :-)

kamachate · 9th June 2016, 07:45 PM

Thank you, Battara, but I am hardly a collector, one of these is mine, the other is a gift to my sister

Keeping just one example of each, just to watch

No, these are form Turkey, where I, and a huge Circassian population, live.

kamachate · 9th June 2016, 08:20 PM

Thank you Ariel and Jim. Now I am going to add the better photos accordingly, beginning with the European blade. The "Transylvanian knot" Jim mentions is important I think, for there are some carvings that look like inscription, but hardly I can interpret these, and they do not like any script I know. Maybe my ignorance.

Here goes the European blade first. I thought it would be better if I added a drawing of the figures, to have a better idea, for the origin or a more precise dating. I also add a photo of one of the silver fittings on the belt, possibly old Circassian style.

kamachate · 9th June 2016, 08:23 PM

Here is one of the silver fittings on the belt.. Unfortunately, most fittings were silver plated copper, and they are in a terrible condition. Only the silver ones survived.

kamachate · 9th June 2016, 08:35 PM

Here is the photos of the second one. I tried to do my best. As I mentioned, I did not find any parallels for this mark on any blade (but surely I am no expert

)
The bone handle is poorly preserved, some part loosing. Please note the extension of the iron (like a hook) at the very end of the hilt.

9th June 2016, 08:20 PM	#3
kamachate Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Posts: 26	Thank you Ariel and Jim. Now I am going to add the better photos accordingly, beginning with the European blade. The "Transylvanian knot" Jim mentions is important I think, for there are some carvings that look like inscription, but hardly I can interpret these, and they do not like any script I know. Maybe my ignorance. Here goes the European blade first. I thought it would be better if I added a drawing of the figures, to have a better idea, for the origin or a more precise dating. I also add a photo of one of the silver fittings on the belt, possibly old Circassian style. Attached Images

9th June 2016, 08:23 PM	#4
kamachate Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Posts: 26	Here is one of the silver fittings on the belt.. Unfortunately, most fittings were silver plated copper, and they are in a terrible condition. Only the silver ones survived. Attached Images

9th June 2016, 08:35 PM	#5
kamachate Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Posts: 26	Here is the photos of the second one. I tried to do my best. As I mentioned, I did not find any parallels for this mark on any blade (but surely I am no expert ) The bone handle is poorly preserved, some part loosing. Please note the extension of the iron (like a hook) at the very end of the hilt. Attached Images

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6th June 2016, 08:19 AM	#1
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	Circassians got most of their blades from Crimea and European exports. But there are Daghestani blades with obvious European provenance. I have a Daghestani one with old German blade. It's late ( 2 am) and I am too tired to look, but Astvatsaturyan cites a Russian traveler who was dumbfounded finding piles of old blades in a Daghestani workshop: Genoese, Andrea Ferara, Solingen, you name it... But in general you are absolutely right. The same Astvatsaturyan writes that most of the so-called "Hungarian " blades " Vivat Hussar" were in fact German. Just as most blades with Genoese "jaws" these days are found on Indian tulwars. Follow the money:-) Arabs prized Hungarian blades very much, called them Majjar ( Magyar). Little did they know :-)

9th June 2016, 07:45 PM	#2
kamachate Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Posts: 26	Thank you, Battara, but I am hardly a collector, one of these is mine, the other is a gift to my sister Keeping just one example of each, just to watch No, these are form Turkey, where I, and a huge Circassian population, live.