Details
ANOTHER

DATED 1867

With blade of similar form (with areas of pitting), the hilt with ivory grips, that on the right side covered by a silver panel secured by two dome-headed silver rivets, in original wooden scabbard almost entirely covered in silver, the silver on the right side of the hilt and scabbard chased with a formalised plant design partly heightened with niello, all on a gold-washed punched ground, enclosing a gold-inlaid panel enamelled in blue and green, the left side of the locket with a two-line nielloed Arabic inscription 'Mohammed Rasul al-Ghaz Ghumugi' (probably the maker), and the name of a place, together with the date 1284 A.H. (1867 A.D.): in wooden case covered with black leather, fitted for an additional dagger, now missing
21½in. (54.6cm.)

Lot Essay

A letter of 1924 preserved in the case written by a certain F. Ballantine states that the dagger was given to his father by Mrs. George Kynoch, who had received it as a gift from General Dragomirov and was said to be the 'Sword of Schamyl', who was Imam of Dagestan (1795-1871). George Dragomirov (1830-1905) was a famous soldier acknowledged to be the first tactician of the Russian army

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