Daggers “of Kalaus steel”

The family’s account

◇ family testimony

The family told how Matvey Alekseyevich obtained Damascus steel — through Suleymanov, father of Lyubov Jelalovna Geychenko — and re-tempered it himself, and how daggers “of Kalaus steel” were highly prized in the Caucasus; in support the family cited the words of the Arabist historian Leonid Lavrov.

• ◇ Roster, No. 71

Dating

People

Makers

• Matvey Alekseyevich Kalaushin 1867 – 1912 master first cousin four times removed

Other works

• Saddle and saddle straps by Matvey Kalaushin (Caucasus Exhibition, Tiflis, 1889)1889
• “Leather goods” by Matvey Kalaushin (All-Russian Exhibition, 1896)1896
• The parade set for Archduke Franz Ferdinandprobably 1911–1912
• The Kalaushin house in Labinsk1890-е
• “Leather goods” by Fedot and Mikhail Kalaushin (All-Russian Exhibition, 1896)1896
• The saddle for the Shah of Persiaspring to early summer 1900 (△ dating)
• Saddles for officers of the Convoy from the Kalaushin workshopc. 1895–1914

In the chronicle

1. 1. The Name

   • The name of the river is echoed, too, by a phrase from the family’s own language — kalausskaya stal, “Kalaus steel”.
   • …of Lyubov Dzhelalovna Geychenko (née Suleymanova) — and re-tempered it, and that in the Caucasus “daggers of Kalaus steel were very highly prized”; in support the family cited the testimony of the Arabist historian Leonid Lavrov…
   • △ hypothesis · “Kalaus steel” “Kalaus steel” is the family’s own name for the steel of the Kalaushin masters. Most likely it stands for…

2. 2. The Khoper

   • …— the father of Lyubov Geychenko (née Suleymanova) — and re-tempered it himself, and that daggers “with Kalaus steel” (s kalausskoy stalyu) were very highly prized in the Caucasus in those days; the family cited the historian…
   • Kalausskaya stal, “Kalaus steel”, is most likely kalaushinskaya, “the Kalaushins’ steel”: in the Caucasus a steel was named after the master…

3. 3. The Caucasian Line

   • …Suleymanov, the father of Lyubov Dzhelalovna Geychenko — and re-tempered it himself, and that daggers “of Kalaus steel” were very highly prized in the Caucasus; in support, the family cited the words of the Arabist historian…
   • Kalausskaya stal, “Kalaus steel”, is the family’s own name for the steel of the Kalaushin masters — most likely kalaushinskaya, “the…

4. 6. The Workshop

   • …of Lyubov Dzhelalovna, wife of Semyon Geychenko — and re-tempered it himself. “At that time kinzhals of Kalaus steel were very highly valued in the Caucasus”, and in support the family cited the historian and Arabist Leonid…
   • △ hypothesis. Kalausskaya stal, “Kalaus steel”, is the family’s own name for the steel of the Kalaushin masters — most likely kalaushinskaya, “the…

5. 10. Pushkin House

   • …gunsmith” who had lived in Kutais (Kutaisi) “since before the Revolution”. On kalausskaya stal, “Kalaus steel” — the family’s own name for the steel of the Kalaushin masters — see the chapter “The Workshop”.

6. 12. The Chroniclers

   • …stanitsa changed hands more than once in those years (see the chapter “The Upheaval”). ◇ Kalausskaya stal, “Kalaus steel”, is the family’s own name for the steel of the Kalaushin masters: Matvey Alekseyevich obtained Damascus…

7. 14. Sources and Further Research

   • ◇ family testimony · kalausskaya stal, “Kalaus steel”
   • …Suleymanov, the father of Lyubov Dzhelalovna Geychenko — and re-tempered it himself, and how kinzhals “with Kalaus steel” were very highly prized in the Caucasus; in support the family cited the words of the Arabist historian…
   • △ “Kalaus steel” is most likely kalaushinskaya, “the Kalaushins’ steel”: in the Caucasus steel was named after the master…
   1 more

   ¶ 45-4

Sources