Warenski "Main Gauche" - "Khukri" - "Tut" - "San Fran" - "Scimitar" - Surprises

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betzner

betzner

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I think it's time for this 2012 thread in see the light of day, which had been a promise made to many of the Cutom Knives fans, so here it is again now, to close the end of 2018.



A number of friends who had not seen it asked that I take one of my Warenskis (the Main Gauche) to the Solvang Show in it's new Huey case. Afterward, I had promised to post the most recent images of it, only recently taken for inclusion in David Darom's publication(s).

Since the dagger has been the subject, over time, of many imaging sessions and several magazine/publication presentations, I decided to cobble some together to give a better, more complete viewing of it. All but the first image have been seen before, including here, so it's not like much new ground is being broken, but had to keep my promise to several friends to do this.

It's always impossible to capture the true brilliance of the gems ( about 700 diamonds and 40+ rubies), but the most recent image has really captured the rubies well.

A 1993 AKI presention piece. The Solvang viewing is it's last public appearance and this is it's last post. Thanks to Eric Eggly and David Darom for the arrangement of the first image here posted. Hope you like the images.

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Hail to the Chief!

Always a pleasure. Even more so with the newly added images.

Props.

Coop
 
Yowza.. I remember the last time you posted this and I believe Coop's story of how difficult it was to photograph. It makes me appreciate both the piece and the photos. This is really something else. The new images are quite nice!
 
I will never get tired of looking at this fabulous dagger. Any museum would love to own this piece.

I might have too much imagination but when I look at the highlighted part (interior of the handle) in the first photo it looks like a pirate's skeleton to me.

Marcel
 
braillediver said:
Thank You. It must be something to see that in natural light, in your hand.


Mitch
Click to expand...

Those who have handled it outdoors are usually at a loss for words. It's quite dazzling in sunlight. Here is an image I had forgotten all about, the one and only in which I was able to capture a really good feel for what the spread of diamonds looks like, though without the sparkle.

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this has got to be up there with the Tut and that other one
 
Very impressive.
But, why, the "left handed" ?
The small sword in the left hand and the longer in the right hand, during a combat ?
 
Lorien said:
this has got to be up there with the Tut and that other one
Click to expand...

Lorien, the King Tut Dagger and the Gem of the Orient, to which you refer, are pieces that, rightfully so, are at the very top of the artistic and valuation heap, when it comes to Warenskis. In my own very humble opinion, I put the Main Gauche somewhere FAR, FAR behind those two. Someone who is as close to the situation as humanly possible once told me that, after removing the three solid gold pieces (called the "Legacy" pieces) from consideration, the Main Gauche was probably in the top five.

Personally, I make no such assumptions or suggestions. I just love it for what it is, a mighty Warenski creation. It boggles the mind to think how long it took to create.

ps: One must mention that the amount of work that went into re-creating the King Tut Dagger is even more mind-boggling, on a scale of multiples. Several long-lost artistic feats were brought back to life, as the years went by, during the time it took to re-create the King Tut Dagger.

Bob
 
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.LuD. said:
Very impressive.
But, why, the "left handed" ?
The small sword in the left hand and the longer in the right hand, during a combat ?
Click to expand...

Precisely.

Historically, a piece such as this is referred to as a Main Gauche for the very reason you mention. It is a left-handed parrying dagger. I know someone, who in fact was at the Solvang show, who owns a 16th century main gauche (and several others) that has several of the same blade-catching features incorporated into it as does this one.
 
being raised in a bilingual country whose other language is french, I had to chuckle when I read the what's-it-for posts. No offense guys:D

Bob, would you happen to know how many knives Buster Warenski made over the course of his career?
I'm curious about the 'top five' as well, and also about the 3rd of the legacy series.
 
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