Hi Mark and Gav,
I think we're all basically on about the same page on this. It seems to be a very munitions grade example that is clearly of blacksmith quality, the crude and simple squared knuckleguard almost literally rings 'blacksmith'.
The construction is essentially of the turn of the century customs/ police sword design, but the cast, ribbed guard is remarkably narrow without the bulging profile intended to provide better hold for the hand.
The blade does reflect from a given point, the upturn which seems to be influenced by the parabolic curves of eastern sabres, but toward the end of the 18th century, this was a commonly applied feature found on various European sabres. There were a number of prototypes and forms that sought to emulate the increased point of contact in slashing cuts by sometimes dramatic blade curves.
The frontier espada ancha carried a subtle version on the uptick point, and this type point is characteristic, but notably less dramatic than this example. I still think the blade, the crude forging notwithstanding, is more like Spanish colonial work of the end of the 18th into 19th c.
Good question on the cast ribbed grip, and though it seems introduced about turn of the century with the cutlasses (so called British M1804), these kinds of features dont just suddenly appear, so there must be earlier prototypes.
Need to check Neumann, and some of the other European sources.
Another cast weapon which found use not only in Spain and England, but became regular munitions grade equipment for almost every European army, was the familiar 'briquet'. These cast brass hilt hangers were simple, cheap, and ideal for equipping masses of 'other ranks'. They are considered a turn of the century type, but it seems they had actually been around some time before.
I know of an example of Spanish colonial handiwork utilizing a three bar guard of a cavalry sabre, the hilt of one of these briquets with the knucklebow removed, and the cut down dragoon broadsword blade of the familiar type often seen on early espada anchas and military swords.
It is well established that supplies into the frontiers of New Spain were hard to come by, and the constant lack of ammunition was one of the main reasons that the lance was such a primary weapon. The lack of other supplies for arming the auxiliary troops and maintaining servicability resulted in the few armourers in presidios using whatever supplies came in, with very little reaching the outposts.
Incongruent and essentially bastardized items such as this amalgam of parts were not unusual, nor were blacksmiths interpretations of weapons. While the experienced smiths in the presidios produced a basically identifiable form of hilt for espada anchas, with blades used in variation, the items with lesser skilled smiths in more remote regions must have been interesting to say the least.
It still does not seem unreasonable for someone in any of the ports in this thriving network through the Caribbean to have sought a simple, yet sturdy fighting weapon, or complement of them. Captains had to supply the arms lockers on thier ships, so a small store of these might have been produced as such.
As usual, just thinking out loud
what a fascinating weapon, and its trying to talk to us guys!
All the best,
Jim