Live Auction 7734Russian Art
Christie’s roundel
Lot 120

An Infantry officer's shashka, pattern 1912 and a Bebut, pattern 1907

CIRCA 1907 AND 1909

Closed9 June 2009

Price Realised

GBP 1,875

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An Infantry officer's shashka, pattern 1912 and a Bebut, pattern 1907
circa 1907 and 1909
Curved, gilt brass stirrup hilt, pierced quillon, the top with the cypher of Nicholas II, the blade by Solingen, with the Imperial double-headed eagle in stylized reserve on one side, and with the crowned cypher of Nicholas II in similar reserve on the other side, with scabbard; the Bebut-curved with brass-mounted wooden handle, with leather scabbard
37¾ in. (96 cm.) long; Bebut 25 in. (63½ cm.) long (2)

Specialist note

In 1907 the dagger replaced all the gendarme lower ranks' shashka, except the cavalry sergeant majors, the ranks of fortress gendarme crews and regular units. In 1908 it was adopted as part of the uniform by the machine-gun crews' lower ranks. It was mainly used until 1917.
For a similar dagger please see:
A. N. Kulinskii, Russian edged weapons 18-20th centuries, part I, St. Petersburg, 2001, pp. 220-221, illustration no. 87.