Lead Musket Ball Collection

With triangular-section long blade extending to a socket with small lateral flanges and rectangular extension to the rear. 229 grams, 12.6 cm



Property of London businessman, from his grandfather's collection after WW2; thence by family descent. From the private collection of John Lawton, Surrey, UK. Accompanied by a copy of a previous catalogue information page.

A single-edged hand-forged sabre with a gently curving blade, an iron band welded beneath the cross guard, together with a tongue along the side of the blade; the separate gilt cross guard with spherical ornamented finials to the quillons, the central panel with a stylised face flanked by a pair of leaping lions biting the top of the head, the other side with a lozenge within a ropework frame. 610 grams, 80.5 cm

Fine condition.

Acquired 1971-1972. From the collection of the vendor's father. Property of a London, UK, collector. Accompanied by an academic report by military specialist Dr Raffaele D'Amato. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate no.114437-196034.

This exceptional sabre shows similarity with examples from the Caucasus and Kuban regions. The blade could be Khazar-Magyar, and certainly its best parallels are the specimens from Verchne-Szaltovo area. According to M. Gorelik, some of these sabres were produced by the Kabarians, a breakaway tribe from the Khazar State, who formed an alliance with the Magyars. The extra band welded beneath the quillons, together with the side tongue, not only protected the scabbard from being cut by the blade but, more importantly, defended the warrior’s fingers which were wrapped around the quillons when fighting.

With scooped socket flanked by lateral wings, broad blade with chin and spur to the lower edge; possibly Baltic workmanship. 470 grams, 15 cm



From the private collection of a London gentleman, from his grandfather's collection formed before the early 1970s.