Unknown cutlass

[Dom]

Hi Gentlemen
for once, I need help ... ;)
I just bought a ...?... (net auction, will not be home before a week)
I wrote "cutlass" because don't look a dagger, and too short to be a sword
- total length: 44cm
- blade:28,5cm
- handle:13,5cm
it was presented as Arabic sword with a shorten blade (broken),

manifestly, it was for me every thing excepted a weapon from Arabic country
and I doubt concerning the shorten, due to a breakage

I guess, that could be Indonesian, ... or may be Filipino, in fact I dunno

could somebody recognize ... what it is ? :confused:
as soon as received, I will clean it and to display it here ;)

if it's a "junk" ... no hesitation to tell me, I'm not touchy :p

thanks per anticipation

à +

Dom

[Atlantia]

Looks like a European Hunting 'knife' trousse.

[Dom]

Looks like a European Hunting 'knife' trousse.Hi Atlantia
may be ? ... but, no idea about which kind of alphabet used for the letters
... if they are letters ?
anyway thanks to have took time to participate :p

à +

Dom

[Dmitry]

Dom, this knife started its life as a full-size hunting sword in the second half of 18th c.
The blade was broken and reshaped, the cross-guard is also long gone. The scabbard is not original.
The decorations on the blade are typical talismanic symbols one can find on hunting swords of that vintage.
The profile of the head in a turban is a Turk, also a frequent guest on Western European hunting sword blades. He was supposed to bring good luck, I guess.

[Jim McDougall]

I agree with Gene, this appears to be a European hunting/court hanger which has been cut down and reconfigured into a knife. This is far from being 'junk' and of course has nothing to do with being 'Arabic', though an understandable presumption with the turbaned image among the other elements of motif. These kinds of symbols along with military groupings and panoplies along with what appear to be magical letters or characters were popular in the 18th century as talismanically charged themes.

This appears to be a hunting/court sword which were popular with officers in Eastern European military units, especially of pandour styled auxiliary regiments. It appears the crossguard assembly is missing. The lattice type square cartouche was also popular in these motifs, and similar can be seen in examples in "European Court and Hunting Swords" (Bashford Dean, 1929).

In my view this is a great example of one of these intriguing swords with the hilt intact with rosettes and most of the blade with the markings left, most important features. I say, well done Dom, an excellent item of European militaria.

All the best,
Jim

Dmitry, just saw your post and looks like we crossed posts.

[Dom]

Thanks Dmitry and Jim :D
your identification is very accurate
I bought it, because it intrigued me
I shall see after reception, what I should do with :rolleyes:
I'm not ready to open a section "European" in my collection
the available place became rare ...

your help has been very appreciated, and appreciable ;)
regards

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Dom

[Norman McCormick]

Hi Dom,
Definitely as Dmitry et al suggested, latter 18thC European hunting hanger broken/cut down. This is not necessarily all bad news. The re-profiled blade looks, from the photographs, to have been ground to make a useful tool for partial butchery a normal practice done in the field after a kill. We gralloch deer in the field after a successful stalk and this blade looks as if it might do the job nicely. I look forward to seeing photos when you receive it to see if the re-profiling is period or not.
My Regards,
Norman.

P.S. Euro Arms can be interesting as well. :D :p :D

[Dom]

P.S. Euro Arms can be interesting as well. :D :p :DHi Norman
thanks for your complementary comments,
and trust me to provide here some nice pictures for it, when will be time

you are absolutely right, concerning "Euro Arms"
I realize now that my post is mis-placed, here :o
but at beginning my thought was more in direction of Far-East ... :p
all the best

à +

Dom

[Dmitry]

The re-profiled blade looks, from the photographs, to have been ground to make a useful tool for partial butchery a normal practice done in the field after a kill.

That sounds right to me. It would do well for field dressing the kill.
..A hunter broke the blade on his hanger and passed it on to one of his servants.

Originally it looked like something like this.
http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n98/Dmitry_01/SWORDS%20FOR%20SALE%202009/FRENCH%20SILVER%20HUNTING%20SWORD/IMG_8066.jpg

[Dom]

That sounds right to me. It would do well for field dressing the kill.
..A hunter broke the blade on his hanger and passed it on to one of his servants.

Originally it looked like something like this.
Hi Dmitry
that seems make sense your suggestion :D
thanks for the pic, to illustrate

à +

Dom