Luristan Sword Blade with Blood Channels

A Gras bayonet with T-shaped tapering 'epee' blade fitted with steel perforated quillon, rivetted wood grip scales and brass pommel slotted to fit the rifle barrel key; various punchmarks and numbered '54506' to quillon, the back of the blade inscribed 'Mme d'Arennes de Chatrs Avril 1878' in script. 573 grams,64.5 cm



Acquired on the UK antiques market between 1974-1985. Albert Ward collection, Essex, UK.

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.

An oval silver plate decorated with an intertwined design formed of flowers inside a double circle framed by a wavy design; pierced to the sides for fastening. 20.2 grams, 90 mm



Acquired in the 1990s. From a North Yorkshire private collection, UK.

Decorated bow string protection plates were developed by Steppe people and widespread among the Volga-Bulgarian warriors, often decorated with niello. These protective plates were fastened with straps on the wrist to protect the lower arm from the blows of the bow tendons. In addition to the bone plaques used by the Khazars, precious silver specimens from the territory of the Volga Bulgars have been preserved, including finds from Zauralia and Western Siberia. A protective plaque decorated with mythological scenes also comes from Bilär (11th-12th century A.D.) Similar plaques with simpler decorations have been found in the region of Prikamye (10th-14th century A.D.).