Imperial Russia Presentation Officer’s Saber for Port Arthur, December 1904 37" LS#220

Imperial Russia — Presentation Officer’s Saber for Port Arthur, December 1904
Zlatoust Arms Factory blade with Nicholas II cipher and Imperial eagle; sculptural animal-form hilt set with amethyst

A compelling Russo-Japanese War presentation saber pairing a regulation Zlatoust officer blade with a jeweler-made, lost-wax cast hilt. The grip and guard are modeled in the round with bear, lion, and snow-leopard figures; a purple amethyst cabochon crowns the pommel. The blade is etched with the Imperial double-headed eagle on one side and the crowned monogram of Nicholas II (Н II) on the other—hallmarks of Tsarist Zlatoust work. The scabbard throat bears the applied Imperial eagle and is engraved in Cyrillic “Порт-Артур / Декабрь 1904.” (Port Arthur / December 1904), commemorating service at the fortress in the climactic 1904–05 campaign.

• Maker: Zlatoust Arms Factory (blade; spine “Zlatoust Or. Fabr.”); private workshop (hilt), c. 1904–05

• Materials: Steel; gilt brass hilt; amethyst cabochon; leather-covered wood scabbard with brass mounts

• Dimensions/weight: OAL in scabbard 37 3/8 in; blade 31 in; OAL out of scabbard 36.25 in; sword 2 lb 2 oz; with scabbard 3 lb 2 oz

• Marks/etching: Imperial eagle and Nicholas II cipher to blade; spine Zlatoust Or. Fabr.; scabbard engraved Port Arthur / Dec. 1904

• Condition: Very good—blade bright with no edge nicks, shallow peppering; hilt tight; gilt with honest wear; leather scabbard crackled yet stable.

Catalog note: Factory-etched Nicholas II and Imperial eagle devices anchor the blade to the reign (1894–1917). The non-regulation sculptural hilt and campaign inscription indicate a privately commissioned presentation—the sort awarded for valor or staff service connected to Port Arthur. A distinctive, display-ready piece with strong historic resonance.