Rowelled Spurs from South America

These spurs are iron clad with silver along the shank and heel. The sides holding the rowels are decorated and the rowels are iron. They belonged to Pavlova.

It is possible they were purchased during her tours of South America. She performed in Buenos Aires and Mexico city.

It is said that she was descended from Cossacks and they are of Turko-Tartaric origin from Qussaq meaning adventurer or vagabond or predatory horseman in popular Russian it acquired the meaning or a free man and later specifically a warrior or a soldier. Quote from Russian Hussar, A Story of the Imperial Cavalry 1911-1920 by Vladimir Littauer (Long Riders Guild Press) (Pavlova was a famous Russian dancer died of pneumonia in Hamstead in 1940’s).

Length 8 3/4” (22 cm) 4 1/4” (11 cm) across the heel.

Provenance: bequeathed to Private collection from Eilean Pearcey, purchased by her from the sale of Anna Pavlova’s effects at Ivy House 1931. Approx value £200