RIA Russian swords and knives, bidding war

[Tanner68]

http://www.rockislandauction.com/viewitem/aid/1023/lid/2197?utm_source=2014-07-16+++1023+Thank+You&utm_campaign=2014-07-16+1023+Thank+You&utm_medium=email

Got an email that said a bidding war erupted over this lot. Final hammer price was $42,250. What could have been the story? Maybe it got personal and someone got carried away? Or did someone know something more about the history of the items? Rare to see a hammer price so far off the estimated price ($1000-$1300).

[Emdawg]

Well shoot, I would imagine the Sovet shasqua would be worth over a grand itself, but 42k for the lot? Damn.

[pitfighter]

Wow - would love to know what that deal was -
TinTin territory, a treasure map hidden inside the scabbard?

[Jimja]

Wow - would love to know what that deal was -
TinTin territory, a treasure map hidden inside the scabbard?

Those Russians are crazy, I know a guy who bought one of these shaskas. I played around with it, looked pretty normal. After I handed it back to him he told me he paid $65k for it! I'm sure he made quite a decent profit as it was for resale.

Some of these are very rare with an interesting history, there are some pretty good records here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/State_Archive_of_the_Russian_Federation

I'm not sure about the price now, but for about $50 per item you can hire a guy to go inside the archives and do some research for you. Some medals were numbered and the records can be pulled, etc. Unfortunately no rifles/pistols

[Anthracis]

Those are insane prices!

[pitfighter]

Those Russians are crazy, I know a guy who bought one of these shaskas. I played around with it, looked pretty normal. After I handed it back to him he told me he paid $65k for it! I'm sure he made quite a decent profit as it was for resale.

Some of these are very rare with an interesting history, there are some pretty good records here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/State_Archive_of_the_Russian_Federation

I'm not sure about the price now, but for about $50 per item you can hire a guy to go inside the archives and do some research for you. Some medals were numbered and the records can be pulled, etc. Unfortunately no rifles/pistols

Top one appears to be a Cossack Shaska - they average about $6K
The markings and dates would make a difference in price.

[Alan Block]

You can get all of these from Atlanta Cutlery for much less.

[Capybara]

If one of the bidders was a Russian oil guy or some other Oligarch, this money is child's play.