Would you call this a small Machete ... or not ?

[Jerseyman]

Perhaps it might be a 19C circus throwing knife? Performance throwing knives are made deliberately larger to be seen at a distance. The form seems right for that function...

[milandro]

Originally Posted by Jerseyman

Perhaps it might be a 19C circus throwing knife? Performance throwing knives are made deliberately larger to be seen at a distance. The form seems right for that function...

it is a very good possibility.

Throwing a knife needed to be seen at some distance, however throwing a large and heavy knife needs a person to match and would need to be a very large person.

Why would anyone use a massive hilt like that on a butcher or fishmonger's knife?

[fernando]

Milandro and Jerseyman, still the form is not right for a throwing knife. Look at the tip; the thrower would not risk to lose direction showing off with that bowie (non symmetric) head and perforate the human target.