01 Russian Shashka for Cossacks Officers, present weason, personal weapon of Milan Rastislav Štefánik, 1918

Fotogalerie

A gift piece of a Russian sabre called Shashka for the Cossacks officers which Štefánik received from the Czechoslovak legionaries during his stay in Russia.

Curved single-edged blade with both-sided fuller and central point. Both sides are richly decorated with etched ornaments and inscriptions. Military trophies on the outer side, a flower ornament, a person on a horse and inscription “technické oddělení československých vojsk Jekatěrinburk v prosinci 1918” (technical department of Czechoslovak armed forces, Yekaterinburg,December 1918). The inner side bears similar decorations and the following inscription “Prvému českému ministru národní obrany Generálu Štefánikovi” (To the First National Defence Minister General Štefánik). The back bears the manufacturer’s mark “Златоуcт. oружейная фабрикa”. All-metal hilt of gilded brass. Over the total length it is richly decorated with relief flower and linear ornaments. The inner side of the head bears a plastic monogram “MŠ”. The outer side of the grip bears two cut gems. The head is forked in shape of a bird’s beak. Wooden scabbard covered with leather. Chape of gilded brass decorated with relief and cut flower ornaments. Inner side of the upper chape bears the inscription “SVÉMU DRAHÉMU MINISTRU ČESKOSLOVENSKÉ VOJSKO NA RUSI URAL SIBIŘ VÁNOCE 1918” (To Our Dear Minister from the Czechoslovak Armed Forces in Russia, Ural, Siberia, Christmas 1918).