A caucasian shashka from my collection for comment

estcrh · 14th April 2016, 12:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BerberDagger

estcrh , you are right ! I ve a very furnish collection of caucasian arms , much of them bought from my granfather who travelled a lot in Russia and Turkey 70 years ago and this one is not the best I see ...caucasian arms sometimes are gold decorated and very rich decorations .

If you have other examples hopefully we will be able to see some more. One question, when a shashka is labled as "Caucasian" is it Circassian, Russian, Cossack etc or is this a general term with no exact known origin.

mariusgmioc · 14th April 2016, 02:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by estcrh

If you have other examples hopefully we will be able to see some more. One question, when a shashka is labled as "Caucasian" is it Circassian, Russian, Cossack etc or is this a general term with no exact known origin.

I think it would be difficult to clear up this ambiguity since "Caucasian" may refer to where it came from, or it may refer to the type with the hilt partially sunk in the scabbard.

ariel · 15th April 2016, 01:18 AM

Embossed ( chased) thin silver foil is extremely fragile. Niello is easily worn off. Such lavish examples were not intended for the battlefield.
I am sure there were "rich and famous" who wore them for portraits, official functions etc. , but by and large these lavish ones were intended to spend their lives on a carpeted wall in a " man's cave".

This one is 100+ years old and completely pristine: not a scratch, no damaged silver, no loss of niello, no nicks on the edge. This is a collection-grade artistic shashka made at the age when shashkas were gasping for air.

Please note: I am not denying its age and authenticity and not denigrating its artistic value. I am just putting my 5 cents worth about its fighting "Raison d'être".

estcrh · 15th April 2016, 12:50 PM

Here are some shashka / shashqa from the Met Museum, they are simply listed as "sword", which makes finding them hard.

ariel · 15th April 2016, 08:53 PM

The one with the ivory handle is a winner hands down: end of 18- beginning of 19th century!

estcrh · 16th April 2016, 01:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ariel

The one with the ivory handle is a winner hands down: end of 18- beginning of 19th century!

Ariel, it is not often that the plain old Betty gets taken over the dolled up tart but I agree.

ariel · 17th April 2016, 02:06 AM

"Dolled up tart"...
Love it!! :-))))

I have one just like the Met example with a one-piece walrus handle. It is shown in Kirill Rivkin's new book.
Pity the scabbard did not survive....

15th April 2016, 12:50 PM	#4
estcrh Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: USA Posts: 1,492	Here are some shashka / shashqa from the Met Museum, they are simply listed as "sword", which makes finding them hard. Attached Images

15th April 2016, 01:18 AM	#3
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	Embossed ( chased) thin silver foil is extremely fragile. Niello is easily worn off. Such lavish examples were not intended for the battlefield. I am sure there were "rich and famous" who wore them for portraits, official functions etc. , but by and large these lavish ones were intended to spend their lives on a carpeted wall in a " man's cave". This one is 100+ years old and completely pristine: not a scratch, no damaged silver, no loss of niello, no nicks on the edge. This is a collection-grade artistic shashka made at the age when shashkas were gasping for air. Please note: I am not denying its age and authenticity and not denigrating its artistic value. I am just putting my 5 cents worth about its fighting "Raison d'être".

15th April 2016, 08:53 PM	#5
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	The one with the ivory handle is a winner hands down: end of 18- beginning of 19th century!

17th April 2016, 02:06 AM	#7
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	"Dolled up tart"... Love it!! :-)))) I have one just like the Met example with a one-piece walrus handle. It is shown in Kirill Rivkin's new book. Pity the scabbard did not survive....