ANTIQUE BALKAN UPPER CLASS SHORT SWORD

Description

S194G, With a swept solid, sharp steel blade of 18" and a grip/hand guard and D guard of luxuriously worked aluminum. VERY SCARCE and at one time, aluminum, due to the difficulty to extract from ore in very small quantities, came into such demand that is was worth more than silver and gold. Used at first for coinage, art, jewelry and furnishings for rich clients, it was lavished on weapons, encrusted on women's fashions and used to enrich products in the home, such as clocks, shoes, boots, purses and many other upper class specialties. Discovered in 1825, aluminum wasn't commonly available for mundane applications until after 1889, when extraction and refinement increased it's uses as well as the quantity that made it practical and readily available and lowered it's value on the commercial markets. This fine example was no doubt worn as a costume decoration and self defense on a politician, or very wealthy captain of industry etc.. The blade is incised with decorative engravings. No maker's markings, overall length 25". Extremely rare today. In very good used condition, all original.