The surprise lot at the sale held on December 11 by Ripon auction house Elstob & Elstob (22% buyer’s premium) was this 19th century Russian hunting dagger.Measuring 18in (46cm) in length, it was of high quality with an etched and part-gilded blade decorated with floral motifs and two scenes of deer in woodland. The nature and quality of this decoration led to a tentative attribution to the Zlatoust arms factory which was founded in the Urals in 1815. Bidding was keen and it sold for £9000.