Need help figuring out symbols on a pocketwatch.

July 10, 2007 5:55 PM

My brother gave me a Soviet-era pocketwatch for my 40th birthday. On the obverse of the watch are two wolves in a forest. Within the forest, there is a circle of rope with little pennants tied it. These pennants appear to be hemming the wolves into a circle so that hunters can capture them. Can anyone explain this?
posted by Cataline to sports, hobbies, & recreation (5 comments total)

I don't understand the question. Can you post a picture? If you can't, can you transcribe any words on the watch?
posted by nasreddin at 6:09 PM on July 10, 2007

Err, they're not going to "capture" the wolves. Google for Russian wolf hunting.
posted by zamboni at 6:14 PM on July 10, 2007

Here you go.
posted by zamboni at 6:17 PM on July 10, 2007

If it is possible that one of the wolves is actually a dog the scene may be depicting a particular form of "sport" that I have read about where the wolf is tethered and a particularly strong dog is sent to attack and kill the wolf with betting going on all the while. Similar to bear baiting.
posted by edgeways at 8:39 PM on July 10, 2007

Nasreddin, no words appear on the watch's obverse side. Anyway, many thanks to Zamboni. I think you found the answer.
posted by Cataline at 7:58 AM on July 11, 2007