New Sword
 

Just recieved this today. Sorry about the poor picture quality. The grip is a lot darker than the pictures show.

yataghan?
 

I'm probably showing my idiocy here - the grip doesn't look like what I have seen with yataghans, but the blade profile seems almost right, not quite though - the more I look at it, the more I think SEA, but I am very inexperienced at this.

What do you call it? :)

BTW: nice piece.

regards,
j.

Visayan
 

Hi joshualayne,
I'm pretty sure SEA is correct. I think it is a Philippine blade from the Visayan islands. I think the short ferrule and swelling of the hilt next to the ferrule indicates the island of Batangas. The real Philippine experts on the forum will know for sure.
Sincerely,
RobT

This is the first chance that I've had to answer back. Yes this is from the Philippines. As far as to what it is called I would say a bolo though the experts probably have a few other names for it including "pig sticker". :D This is the only one that I've seen so far with the hilt carved with this pattern which is one of the main reasons for my acquiring it. I'm hoping to get more information on it as well. Battara, HELP!!

HI folks. Robert, nice puppy. LIke the carving. Yes, Luzon PI, and with the carving possibly Visayas. I would say early 1900s, certainly no later than WWII. Exellent condition.

I apologize and mispoke. What I meant to say was Luzon, PI possibly Batangas region, not Visayas.

Battara,
Could this possibly be a Katipunan sword?

Yes, this could be a Katipunan piece. It would be the right time period and region.