Use of Actual Vintage Arms as Props in Early Films

[mahratt]

Originally Posted by Jim McDougall

Thank you so much!! This is wonderful, fantastic and brilliant! I had no idea of this Russian version of 'Sherlock Holmes', and the panoply of weapons on the wall there is outstanding. I see the extremely recurved Central Asian sword, the Russian military hanger with serrated back and of course the shashkas.

With the British situation in Afghanistan in the mid 1800s into the 20th c. it would not be the least bit surprising that there were connections to the Caucusus. As well related in Peter Hopkirks "The Great Game", these regions were a hotbed of intrigues that were far more complex and extended than just confined to Afghanistan.
I would say that is a fascinating interpretation, and I must check it out!

I think that the props used in the film were not the recurved Central Asian sword, but one of those items that we sometimes call "Kurdish or Transcaucasian yataghans". By the way, many thanks for the information about Zichy's 1897 edition. I studied this book with great interest.