The name of this oriental dagger comes from the Iranian word “card” meaning the classic knife, the most common in the Indo-Iranian region, as well as in Turkey, Central Asia, the Middle East, the Caucasus and the former Turkish lands in the Balkans. Although the card comes from an ordinary household knife and has a completely “peaceful” appearance, it was considered a strong military weapon – a single-blade dagger delivering a stabbing blow.
A souvenir card made by the masters of Zlatoust is an oriental-style weaponry example. The blade is made of Zladinox damask steel; a floral ornament is applied to a part of the blade using a silver notch. A straight blade, slightly expanding towards the hilt, has a straight, thick butt. The hilt of an all-metal dagger is made in the form of two false cheeks of boxwood, enclosed in a silver frame. The scabbard is made of black embossed leather in a silver frame and has a conical shape. “Card” inserted there by almost two-thirds of the hilt. The scabbard and hilt of the dagger are finely decorated with Persian ornaments and inlaid with garnets, turquoise, coral. The combination of silver, light wood, dark patterned steel and bright gemstones creates a unique charm characteristic of oriental art.
