Please Help with Solingen Knife?

[M ELEY]

Nice knife! This one is a mystery, but I'll take a stab. Obviously, the blade is a German import. The clipped point bowie-style blade type was popular in the Americas in the early 19th and later century. The scabbard is western in pattern (not Asian, Philippine, etc), with copper studs seen on colonial Amer pieces up to the time of the CW, American southwestern pieces, etc. The ivory hilt is beautifully carved in more of an ethnographic style, but with the other amenities pointing to non-ethno, my guess is that this piece could be colonial Spanish (Am SW, Mexico) or South American?? Much German influence and imported Solingen blades found on gaucho knives, etc.

Of course, I could be blowing smoke! Some European knives had clip points. The carving could be a loose interpretation of Germanic carving (trouse knives). What is this strange animal head? Not a stag, bear or wolf! Looks like a wallaby!!! Could it be a bat?! (Mexico)