Hello Gavin and thanks for commenting. It does indeed have an Oriental look to it and I'm sure that's why the seller was told by antiques dealers that it was "Middle Eastern". Having now received the blade, I still feel that it's probably Spanish colonial. The primitive wrought iron is thicker and thinner in places as it runs to the tip. Not to insult it, but the whole sword is "clunky" and hard to swing. I think it's just a made-from-scratch piece that some desparate pirate had made to attack ships with (Sorry, couldn't resist-
).
Jim, you mentioned the square iron guard being of the British pattern while the blade does indeed resemble some espada I have seen. Being that the West Indies both fell under these two countries influence, I wonder if this might be a combination of styles. Just a theory without proof, of course. For all I know, Gav might be right and this might be something else entirely.
Does anyone know when ribbed iron hilts such as this started? I'm again thinking late 18th and with the advent of boarding cutlass, but perhaps there are earlier examples?