European(?) Hunting(?) Whatsit

[Jim McDougall]

Spot on Gav!!!
The R.D.C. Evans book does carry great information on these, and the plug bayonet itself carried on vestigially as a hunting weapon long after its use as such had diminished, particularly in Spain and its provincial regions.

In the case of this example, which is fantastic, indications are for East Europe possibly, and of probably of latter 18th century. The vestigial crossguard and shell correspond to the smallsword and courtsword type allusions that were often favored, as hunting was of course key to the gentry.

The interesting shape of the point on this also reminds me of the number of classifications in the 1962 reference book by Gerhard Seifert, "Schwert degen Sabel" in which this shape is actually termed 'pandour point'.
The pandours, as previously discussed, were often thought of as fierce and intimidating predators, and became a decorative element in motif on these types of weapons in the sense of hubris and bravado.

Best regards,
Jim