Matchets and a Cutlass

Norman McCormick · 1st July 2012, 11:33 PM

Hi Jim,
The catalogue page I have illustrated is from the Sheffield manufactories (1816) so a bit earlier than Gilkerson. The machetes in Gilkerson are taken from the catalogue of Schnitzler and Kirschbaum which is dated to the mid-19thC. There is one in Gilkerson from this catalogue that has the GR cypher but Philip Lankester in this tract put this down to the fact that antique style cutlass blades were continually being manufactured well into the mid-19thC for the East and West Indian markets the cypher being added to imitate an accepted symbol of a good quality blade. The blades from Sheffield are 20 to 28 inches long but it is not known whether this is inclusive of the hilt or not.
My Regards,
Norman.

Hi n2s,
The example I have is a Cutlass blade similar to the last one on the illustration, it 26 1/4 inches blade only. Hope this helps.
My Regards,
Norman.

Jim McDougall · 2nd July 2012, 01:51 PM

Thanks very much Norman for further detail on these catalog illustrations. It is remarkably important to know more on original sources as you have done here so that we can nearer establish period provenance on blade and marking forms.

KuKulzA28 · 5th July 2012, 03:08 AM

This is great! Machete are often neglected as a field of study...

Interestingly, in Trinidad, Tabago, and Guyana.. the machete is referred to as "cutlass" or "cutlash".

1st July 2012, 11:33 PM	#1
Norman McCormick Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 1,646	Hi Jim, The catalogue page I have illustrated is from the Sheffield manufactories (1816) so a bit earlier than Gilkerson. The machetes in Gilkerson are taken from the catalogue of Schnitzler and Kirschbaum which is dated to the mid-19thC. There is one in Gilkerson from this catalogue that has the GR cypher but Philip Lankester in this tract put this down to the fact that antique style cutlass blades were continually being manufactured well into the mid-19thC for the East and West Indian markets the cypher being added to imitate an accepted symbol of a good quality blade. The blades from Sheffield are 20 to 28 inches long but it is not known whether this is inclusive of the hilt or not. My Regards, Norman. Hi n2s, The example I have is a Cutlass blade similar to the last one on the illustration, it 26 1/4 inches blade only. Hope this helps. My Regards, Norman.

2nd July 2012, 01:51 PM	#2
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,670	Thanks very much Norman for further detail on these catalog illustrations. It is remarkably important to know more on original sources as you have done here so that we can nearer establish period provenance on blade and marking forms.

5th July 2012, 03:08 AM	#3
KuKulzA28 Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: between work and sleep Posts: 731	This is great! Machete are often neglected as a field of study... Interestingly, in Trinidad, Tabago, and Guyana.. the machete is referred to as "cutlass" or "cutlash".