Silver Mounted Uzbek/Central Asian Shaska type sabre 19th century

A nice example of a large and heavy bladed sword of Shaska type from Central Asia/Uzbekistan region. The hilt with the typical bifurcated or split pommel, grips of horn. The hilt is mounted with thick beautifully engraved silver with scrolling and geometric motifs, to the bolsters and gripstraps. The rivets to the grips are also mounted with silver roundels. The blade is long and gently curving, each side shows a central fuller, at each end of which on both sides is inlaid a gold motif. The forte to one side deeply stamped with two marking, one showing the detailed representation of a mosque, this image when associated with weapons from this region has been described as the Blue Mosque in Mazar al Sharif, Northern Afghanistan. There is also some very subtle geometric design applied to this area faint markings of lines, which can only be seen at some angles. The scabbard is original recovered with black leather, two silver hanging bands with loops. Dating to the second half of the 19th century    indo persian