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2727thth March 2012March 2012

Swords and edged weapons:Swords and edged weapons:with reference to 19with reference to 19thth C. French swords and C. French swords and

their influence on Russian sword designtheir influence on Russian sword design

by Dr. Peter Buschby Dr. Peter Busch

2727thth March 2012March 2012

Swords and edged weaponsSwords and edged weapons

�� Swords are generally either eastern or Swords are generally either eastern or westernwestern

�� This talk is ‘westernThis talk is ‘western--biased’biased’

��We focus on the last couple of centuriesWe focus on the last couple of centuries

�� The focus is also on massThe focus is also on mass--production more so production more so than individual handcrafted approachesthan individual handcrafted approaches

flicker.com

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2727thth March 2012March 2012

Swords and edged weaponsSwords and edged weapons

�� Blade manufacture Blade manufacture … (see film)… (see film)

1.1. Hammering out steelHammering out steel

2.2. Rolling in to shapeRolling in to shape

3.3. GrindingGrinding

4.4. Heat treatingHeat treating

5.5. ProvingProving

6.6. PolishingPolishing

7.7. EtchingEtching

8.8. Mounting Mounting

swordforum.com

2727thth March 2012March 2012

Swords and edged weaponsSwords and edged weapons

�� Hilt manufactureHilt manufacture��… formerly forge… formerly forge--welding welding

�� Casting orCasting or

�� StampingStamping

�� Scabbard manufactureScabbard manufacture�� Timber covered with leatherTimber covered with leather

�� Thick leather with metal mountsThick leather with metal mounts

�� Sheet metal shaped over a mandrelSheet metal shaped over a mandrel

antiqueswordsonline.com

armor.com

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ZlatoustZlatoust

�� 1818thth CC�� Weapon manufacture took place in Tula (south of Weapon manufacture took place in Tula (south of Moscow)Moscow)

�� 18111811�� Zlatoust (Urals) gets underway with edged weapon Zlatoust (Urals) gets underway with edged weapon productionproduction

�� Visit made to Solingen, GermanyVisit made to Solingen, Germany�� to encourage German masters to emigrateto encourage German masters to emigrate

�� train Russian smiths in sword manufacturetrain Russian smiths in sword manufacture

�� 18371837�� 32 of the 42 masters now Russian32 of the 42 masters now Russian

2727thth March 2012March 2012

Alexander I 1801Alexander I 1801--18251825

�� Prussian styles in place …Prussian styles in place …

�� Peter III (1728Peter III (1728--1762)1762)

�� Catherine the Great (1762Catherine the Great (1762--1796)1796)

�� … a move to French styles… a move to French styles

ma-shops.com

ma-shops.com

ebay.com

28/03/2012

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2727thth March 2012March 2012

Nicholas I (1825Nicholas I (1825--1855)1855)

�� Increase of French influenceIncrease of French influence

�� Infantry sabre 1826 patternInfantry sabre 1826 pattern

�� i.e French 1821 patterni.e French 1821 pattern

�� Start to see the Shashka (formally) appearStart to see the Shashka (formally) appear

�� Dragoon 1841 patternDragoon 1841 pattern

�� i.e. French 1829 pattern horse artillery sabrei.e. French 1829 pattern horse artillery sabre

�� This sabre sets the scene for Russian swords until todayThis sabre sets the scene for Russian swords until today

old-swords.com

swordforum.com

collectiblefirearms.com

2727thth March 2012March 2012

Alexander II (1855Alexander II (1855--1881)1881)

�� ‘Indigenous’ Russian styles continue‘Indigenous’ Russian styles continue

�� i.e. 1841 pattern dragoon and 1834/38 i.e. 1841 pattern dragoon and 1834/38 pattern cossack shashkaspattern cossack shashkas

�� Start to see St. George award strap being Start to see St. George award strap being worn with golden award swords …worn with golden award swords …

ebay.com

tsarsarsenal.com

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Alexander III (1881Alexander III (1881--1894)1894)

�� Introduction of the ‘system of 1881’Introduction of the ‘system of 1881’

�� Too many styles of swords in the military, Too many styles of swords in the military, need to standardise/simplifyneed to standardise/simplify

�� Influence of firearms in combat …Influence of firearms in combat …

��means sword less likely to be ‘frontmeans sword less likely to be ‘front--line’ weaponsline’ weapons

tsarsarsenal.com

leibstandart.com

2727thth March 2012March 2012

Nicholas II (1894Nicholas II (1894--1917)1917)

�� Styles continued with the 1881 system as Styles continued with the 1881 system as beforebefore

�� However 1904However 1904--1905 Russia beaten by Japan 1905 Russia beaten by Japan in the Russoin the Russo--Japanese warJapanese war

�� ramifications for ‘white power’ to be beaten by ramifications for ‘white power’ to be beaten by asian countryasian country

�� loss of morale led to introduction of 1909 patterns with loss of morale led to introduction of 1909 patterns with monogram of monarchmonogram of monarch

tsarsarsenal.com

tsarsarsenal.com

eskoff.net/porskuva/Tera/Anna13.htm

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Soviet era (1917Soviet era (1917--1991)1991)

�� Zlatoust still manufacturingZlatoust still manufacturing

�� 1927 standardised on1927 standardised on

��Dragoon sabreDragoon sabre

��Cossack ShashkaCossack Shashka

�� 19401940

��Sword for commanding officersSword for commanding officers

��Generals sabreGenerals sabre

��Swords now for Swords now for senior officerssenior officers

swordsandantiqueweapons.com

collectrussia.com

tsarsarsenal.com

tsarsarsenal.com

2727thth March 2012March 2012

ReferencesReferences

�� Mollo, E., (1969) Mollo, E., (1969) Russian Military Swords: 1801Russian Military Swords: 1801--19171917 Historical Historical Research Unit Publication LondonResearch Unit Publication London

�� ProkudinProkudin--Gorskii (1909Gorskii (1909--1912) 1912) The Empire that was Russia: The The Empire that was Russia: The ProkodinProkodin--Gorskii Photographic Record RecreatedGorskii Photographic Record Recreated Library of Congress Library of Congress collection Washington U.S.A.collection Washington U.S.A.

�� WilkinsonWilkinson--Latham, R., (2012) Latham, R., (2012) Sword Making: Craftsmanship in Sword Making: Craftsmanship in ActionAction DVDDVD