A Caucasian Shasqua, 19th Century

A Caucasian Shasqua
19th Century
With curved fullered blade (some pitting) double-edged towards the point, the forte on one side incised with a cross between inscriptions, and on the other with decorative marks including a pair of stars and a pair of flower-heads, characteristic silver hilt with beaked pommel and decorated overall with nielloed symmetrical designs of flower-heads and foliage, all within borders of beadwork and against a stippled ground, in original wooden scabbard covered in black leather with locket, chape and suspension mounts en suite with the hilt on the outside, the suspension mounts each carrying a ring and nielloed with a bird on the inside, the locket with a star between crescents
77.5 cm. blade