Espada ancha--recycled M1832 Artillery Sword?

[Ian]

This espada ancha was sold online today (but I was not the successful bidder ).

What caught my attention was the blade, which appears to be a re-purposed M1832 U.S. infantry artillery sword. That was the opinion of the seller also. Apparently there were no marks remaining on the blade and it appeared to have been filed down at the ricasso. Pictures are attached of the sword as well as one of the M1832 artillery sword.

The espada ancha is an interesting weapon, used by peasants and the wealthy. It comes in many sizes and varying quality, but always very functional and with few frills. Determining the age of these swords is hard because many seem to have been made locally and the quality of the forging was often fairly basic with no distinguishing features or marks. This one would seem to have been assembled in about the mid-19th C, judging from the age of the blade and the sword's general appearance.

Ian.