For sale is a beautiful original antique Gurian Kama dagger, Tiflis, crafted by silver master Yegor Blumberg (“E.B.”, Yegor Ivanovich Blumberg, 1841-1886).

Country: Georgia (Tiflis)
Date: 1841-1886
Manufacturer: Unknown, with the hallmark of Yegor Ivanovich Blumberg on the silver
Original
Condition: The item is in good collectible condition.
Completeness: Dagger with scabbard.
Collectible condition: 8/10.

This exquisite Gurian Kama dagger features a handle made from solid buffalo horn, secured with two rivets adorned with silver caps and geometric patterns in blackening. The blade is double-edged and symmetrical, with two grooves on either side. The scabbard is wooden, covered in leather, and includes a silver throat with a belt loop and a silver cup with a ball. Inside the throat, there is a ring with a leather strap. The reverse side of the scabbard bears hallmarks on the silver with an “84” proof and initials, along with the throat, belt loop, and cup marked by Blumberg (“E.B.”). The dagger’s fittings are decorated with a floral ornamentation in blackening technique, showcasing exquisite craftsmanship that distinguishes this dagger. This dagger is relatively rare and in good condition.

Historical Note: Georgian Weaponry

Tiflis was undoubtedly the largest center for the production of both cold and firearms. Between 1845 and 1919, around a hundred gunsmiths operated in the city. In 1865, craft workshops for making separate saber and dagger blades and scabbards were established in Tiflis, as well as for decorating weapons with blackening or gold engraving.
The gunsmith workshops in Tiflis were located in specific areas, primarily on Sioni Street. The composition of gunsmiths was diverse, including Georgians, Dagestanis (Kubanets, Avars, Laks, Lezgins), Ossetians, Circassians, Armenians, and craftsmen of other nationalities. They crafted and decorated weapons according to their local traditions, making it difficult to determine the place of manufacture and the craftsman without specific characteristic signs and hallmarks. Notable masters from Georgia included Geurg Elizharov. M.Yu. Lermontov writes in one version of his poem “The Poet”: “In silver scabbards gleams my dagger, the work of old Geurga, its mysterious steel long lost to us.”
Georgia is one of the classic countries known for producing high-quality steel for dagger and saber blades. Sometimes this steel is referred to as bulat, which is incorrect. True bulat was only produced in India and Persia. Even in the world-renowned city of Damascus, where Indian steel was used, it was not possible to create bulat. Damascus steel was characterized by a pattern formed during forging, and blades with such layered patterns became known as damask or Damascus steel. The secret of producing Georgian damask was carefully guarded by local metallurgists and passed down through generations. For a long time, Russia attempted to create blades similar to Georgian ones, but with little success.