Help on what I just bought....

[blindside]

Originally Posted by Interested Party

I hoped this would show up on the site. It looked like a converted bayonet but as mentioned before the cross section was wrong. Then there the snake motif to make matters more confusing. Then I thought possibly a pedang lurus for a second and finally a hunting sword. It confused me to the point I tried to grab it just to take a look at the metal for a bit of an answer but the price jumped at the last second. I was blindsided. Good job!

What can you see as far as the structure of the steel and construction methods?

Is the tang peened or threaded?

The tang is threaded, that metal loop is the threaded to hold the guard in place. I have not tried to fully disassemble the hilt.

The guard and decorative elements are non-magnetic but feel heavier than tin, maybe a white brass?

The metal of the blade doesn't appear to be notable.

[Rick]

Would the slot at the base of the knucklebow be intended for the attachment of a sword knot? Is that niello on the ring at the hoof? Would the three holes on the horseshoe be intended for decorative nails perhaps?

[blindside]

Originally Posted by Rick

Would the slot at the base of the knucklebow be intended for the attachment of a sword knot? Is that niello on the ring at the hoof? Would the three holes on the horseshoe be intended for decorative nails perhaps?

The four holes in the horseshoe have two remnants of nails going into the pommel and there is a hole where the third should go but that isn't visible under the D-guard. The fourth (top) is the remnants of a similar hole is visible where the horn has broken off.

I don't know if that is niello on the ring, it does appear slightly different than the pommel but I can't tell if that is just due to wear.

[Rick]

Looking closer, I don't think the ring is niello it's engraved. The horse hoof pommel is reminiscent of Filipino motifs. The blade has a T spine from what I can see. I don't recall T spine Filipino blades; but I'm old and memory fails me sometimes. The engraving doesn't look like typical Filipino work..
The threaded loop is also incongruous.
Puzzling but very attractive nonetheless.

[blindside]

Originally Posted by Rick

Looking closer, I don't think the ring is niello it's engraved. The horse hoof pommel is reminiscent of Filipino motifs. The blade has a T spine from what I can see. I don't recall T spine Filipino blades; but I'm old and memory fails me sometimes.

It does not have a T spine, there is a bevel along the top that forms an unsharpened false edge.

[kronckew]

The slots in the front of the guard plate look more like decorative piercings, but could be used for a sword knot or even a finger loop. The looped pommel nut looks like it was for a sword knot (lanyard) lanyard or a decorative tassel. Cool sword anyway. How long is the blade? most yat bayonets are pretty much all the 'standard' length.

(My guess is also Philippines.)

My horn handled 'hunter' has an French 1866 yat bayonet blade of 57 cm. (22.4 in.) & fits a spare frenchy scabbard perfectly. The blade is also completely different, (fullered, etc.) than the subject blade of the OP's weapon.

[kronckew]

p.s. - they also come in unfullered double edged flat diamond x-section.

[Interested Party]

Originally Posted by Rick

Looking closer, I don't think the ring is niello it's engraved. The horse hoof pommel is reminiscent of Filipino motifs. The blade has a T spine from what I can see. I don't recall T spine Filipino blades; but I'm old and memory fails me sometimes. The engraving doesn't look like typical Filipino work..
The threaded loop is also incongruous.
Puzzling but very attractive nonetheless.

This was a sellers picture. Hopefully it is ok to post. Different light, different angle. Note the traces of blue on the D guard. It is on both sides. Verdigris, paint, or enamel? Sorry for bugging you blindside but this perplexed me and one rarely gets a chance for answers about images on the internet.

[Tim Simmons]

Could the guard and grip furniture actually be silver? Looks like a one off 19th century hunting hanger. As said not military construction, but I would say it is of western construction and not done in a shed if you know what I mean. The style of it reminds me of the sort of 19th century trinkets like ink wells made out of horse hoofs and that sort of thing very popular with the posh hunting set around the 19th and very early 20th century. As mentioned the blade form is also very common to the time.

[blindside]

Originally Posted by Tim Simmons

Could the guard and grip furniture actually be silver? Looks like a one off 19th century hunting hanger. As said not military construction, but I would say it is of western construction and not done in a shed if you know what I mean. The style of it reminds me of the sort of 19th century trinkets like ink wells made out of horse hoofs and that sort of thing very popular with the posh hunting set around the 19th and very early 20th century. As mentioned the blade form is also very common to the time.

So after taking a close look at it I decided to hit it with a gentle silver polish and I am now about 90% convinced it is silver. Images are heavily contrasted to make the designs stand out.

[David]

Originally Posted by Interested Party

This was a sellers picture. Hopefully it is ok to post. Different light, different angle. Note the traces of blue on the D guard. It is on both sides. Verdigris, paint, or enamel? Sorry for bugging you blindside but this perplexed me and one rarely gets a chance for answers about images on the internet.

You are correct to note "different light", but perhaps even more importantly, different white balance. Or perhaps more importantly, incorrect whit balance as i am fairly certain the background of this photo is supposed to be white. So give the very incorrect white balance i am not sure what you are looking at in this photo is really blue.

[Interested Party]

Interesting. The seller lightened the photos?