Live Auction 7598Russian Art
An extremely rare caucasian child's shashka belonging to the Tsarevich Aleksei
Lot 331

An extremely rare caucasian child's shashka belonging to the Tsarevich Aleksei

TEREK 1908-1917 WITH UNRECORDED CYRILLIC WORKMASTER'S INITIALS MN

Closed11 June 2008

Price Realised

GBP 481,250

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An extremely rare caucasian child's shashka belonging to the Tsarevich Aleksei
Terek 1908-1917 with unrecorded Cyrillic workmaster's initials MN
Curved, the gold-decorated ivory hilt with hooked bifurcated pommel applied with the gold cypher of Nicholas II, the silver-gilt scabbard chased and engraved with stylized foliage enclosing ivory panels inlaid with gold foliage design, the top one enclosing the interlaced initials of the patronime of Tsarevich Aleksei (Aleksei Nikolaevich), the blade inlaid with a gold imperial eagle and the Russian inscription The Terek Cossack army on one side, the other side with the cypher of Nicholas II and the inscription To his August Ataman 1911, further signed in Russian GUZUNOV, with its original sword knot
26½ in. (68 cm.) long

Specialist note

The Tsarevich Aleksei Nikolaevich, born in 1901, was the only son of Emperor Nicholas II and his wife the Empress Alexandra Feodorovna.

As Tsarevich Heir to the throne, Grand Duke Aleksei was from an early age accepted in numerous regiments of the Imperial Russian army and therefore received and wore uniforms specially made for him. Miniature or child's swords were made for his young age. The present caucasian sword was made in 1911 and presented to him by Terek Cossack Army (Voisko) which with the Kuban Cossack Army was the main Cossack voiskos in the Caucasus.