The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1913-09-11
FAMOUS COLLECTION
OF ANCIENT WEAPONS
IS LENT TO MUSEUM
Every Type Of Oriental Fire
arms Represented In KEENAN,
Smithsonian Loan.
USED BY NOTED WARRIORS
Among Others Are Persian Battle
Axes, African War Clubs, Ara
bian Dassers and Unique
Pistols. 81 .

A remarkable collection" OF old wea-
pons secured by George Kennan, the
celebrated writer and traveller, during
n of his trips to Russia, has recently
been lent to the national museum by
Mr.. KEENAN, and installed in the new
building Of the museum. The greater
part Of the weapons were originally
gathered by Prince Paskievich, Of Rus
STA, a noted connoisseur, from whom
Mr.. KEENAN, purchased them a
good many years ago. -
f'" While there are, many and diverse
examples Of armorers' and gunsmiths'
work in the older museum building
with the ordnance exhibits, these
pieces are OF special interest in rela-
ton to their original owners, or as
examples OF the art development OF the
periods they represent.
The collection comprises about 81
. objects and consists mainly of, orien-
tai weapons, comprising sabers, dag-
gers, yataghans, pistols and guns, all
richly mounted, and some having his
toric and ~ethnologic interest on ac-
count Of the inscriptions they bear in
Russian, PersianS, Caucasian, Arabic
or Latin. rs.
Unique Firearms.
4. The firearms antedate the use OF
percussion caps, and belonged to Cen
trail Asia tribesmen who were accus-
toned to lavish the greatest amount OF
decorative, art on their personal wea-
pons, as a be seen from he heavy
e~ncrustation in gold and silver, m the
jeweled settings IN the stocks Of the
pistols and guns, and the hilts and
scabbards OF the swords. The barrels
Of the firearms, and the blades of the
swords and knives are OF exquisite
metal work, carved or damascened,
and inlaid with gold and silver char
acters, recounting battles In which the
owners engaged.
Some especially attractive weapons,
the Turkish and Arab yataghans which
are slightly curved swords with par
~ticularly pleasing outlines, appear to
be OF Persian origin and art. Their
scabbards are marvellous examples OF
silver and gold repousse work.
One sword OF particular interest Is
that OF a Russian executioner. 1t has
a long broad curved blade bearing on
one side an inscription OF silver inlaid
In steel, God help me to overcome my
enemies In he mountains and on the
steppes,", while on the other side Is the
record Of campaigns against the eau
casian mountaineers In 1887. The han
die Is of plain black wood, the scab-
bard Is decorated in silver and red
velvet with repousse characterization.
Historic Sabre. ~.
A sabre having a remarkable history
is one In q plain black scabbard with
gold inlaying on the bands and cross
bar, bearing an inscription on one side
OF the blade. PRO Eide ct pro Patria'
with the figure OF a man brandishing
q sword over his head; on the other
side is the following: "Soli Dec Glor-
la" O coat of arms consisting OF a
double headed eagle, and a crown, and
below, "Laus Dee Semper." The blade
Is inscribed on the back with the fol-
lowing, johannes Mayrschoffer Inlos-
ment is considered to be the most vail
liable piece of the entire collection and
Ia greatly priced by its owner on ac-
count OF the ancient date and proba-