Blacksmith made ? sword for I.D. and comment

CutlassCollector · 17th February 2013, 06:43 PM

Yes, interesting piece and I agree it definitely has a cutlass feel to it. The tapered wooden handle is also reminiscent of pictures of early US from around the Rev War, as Mark has already said. The overall length also gives a relatively short blade suitable for a cutlass. Good find.

fernando · 17th February 2013, 06:56 PM

Also i wouldn't mind having it ... at all

M ELEY · 18th February 2013, 12:35 AM

Colin, a little reference material and similar items can be seen-

Boarders Away, by W Gilkerson, pg 89-90
Weapons of the American Revolution, by Warren Moore, pg 166
Swords/Blades of Amer Revolution, Neumann, plates 361S, 362S, 363S, 368S, 369S,370S,371S

It still could be Span colonial/Caribbean, as their patterns of West Indies cutlass very similar to Amer colonial and of the same time period.

Keep me in mind if you decide to part with it (

)...and Fernando, I saw it first!!

Jim McDougall · 18th February 2013, 03:33 AM

I think Im gonna go with Spanish colonial, and the scalloped shellguard, quillon and pommel attachment correspond to what Adams (1985) terms round tang espada anchas early 19th c. The blade, though hard to discern through the patination, but the blade seems hexagonal as seen on many of these.
It does indeed have remarkable resemblance to the cutlasses Mark describes, and that of course remains possible to the earlier, but I am compelled toward the 'round tang' as noted.

Jim McDougall · 18th February 2013, 03:44 AM

In rebuttal to my own previous post, it looks like the round tangs I spoke of in Adams (see attached) the pommels had a pommel cap rather than strap attached directly, so perhaps Mark may be more on target

fernando · 18th February 2013, 12:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim McDougall

I think Im gonna go with Spanish colonial, and the scalloped shellguard, quillon and pommel attachment correspond to what Adams (1985) terms round tang espada anchas early 19th c. ...

What took you so long, Jim? Thought you'd never come. I was afraid to bet on the espada ancha version myself, without your prior diagnosis

.

18th February 2013, 03:44 AM	#5
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,670	In rebuttal to my own previous post, it looks like the round tangs I spoke of in Adams (see attached) the pommels had a pommel cap rather than strap attached directly, so perhaps Mark may be more on target Attached Images

17th February 2013, 06:43 PM	#1
CutlassCollector Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Scotland Posts: 369	Yes, interesting piece and I agree it definitely has a cutlass feel to it. The tapered wooden handle is also reminiscent of pictures of early US from around the Rev War, as Mark has already said. The overall length also gives a relatively short blade suitable for a cutlass. Good find.

17th February 2013, 06:56 PM	#2
fernando (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Portugal Posts: 9,694	Also i wouldn't mind having it ... at all

18th February 2013, 12:35 AM	#3
M ELEY Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: NC, U.S.A. Posts: 2,206	Colin, a little reference material and similar items can be seen- Boarders Away, by W Gilkerson, pg 89-90 Weapons of the American Revolution, by Warren Moore, pg 166 Swords/Blades of Amer Revolution, Neumann, plates 361S, 362S, 363S, 368S, 369S,370S,371S It still could be Span colonial/Caribbean, as their patterns of West Indies cutlass very similar to Amer colonial and of the same time period. Keep me in mind if you decide to part with it ( )...and Fernando, I saw it first!!

18th February 2013, 03:33 AM	#4
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,670	I think Im gonna go with Spanish colonial, and the scalloped shellguard, quillon and pommel attachment correspond to what Adams (1985) terms round tang espada anchas early 19th c. The blade, though hard to discern through the patination, but the blade seems hexagonal as seen on many of these. It does indeed have remarkable resemblance to the cutlasses Mark describes, and that of course remains possible to the earlier, but I am compelled toward the 'round tang' as noted.