What is this please?
 

Can someone please advise what this is. Sold as a French Naval Cutlass, but not sure if that is ACUTALLY what it is. :D

Sorry guys---the word is ACTUALLY---sorry for the typo!

Since not pictured, I assume there are no markings on the blade or hilt.
Looks to me more like a machete, possibly Collins (don't have my Collins
book handy to check). Although most Collins are marked on the blade
in some way depending on the region of the world they were made for.

Rich S

Spansh machete?
 

The handle seems like a machete used in Cuba in the Span-Am. war.
Best regards

Carlos

I agree with Rich and Carlos, this piece does have machete like characteristics, and I am inclined to agree with thier assessments. I think that the Collins book would give us good possibilities, though as Rich notes, Collins work was typically well marked. They did however supply to many Latin American countries and regions, so the Cuban attribution does seem quite possible.
In our thread on Pirate weapons, items like this often appear included in that category, typically much later of course than the "Golden Age" and often even into the 19th century. The 'machete' presented an ideal weapon that was heavy bladed and shorter than swords, that certainly found favor aboard ships that might well have been involved in maritime use outside the regulation naval vessels such as trade, or even piracy. From that perspective, and considering what appears to be an ebony gripped hilt, this may well have been used aboard a French vessel as suggested (French edged weapons seem to have often used ebony as hilt material) however certainly not regulation navy.
To check on that further, the best information might be found in William Gilkerson's "Boarders Away" (which I do not have handy to verify).
Best regards,
Jim

The blade on this looks quite similar to some of the ones Ive seen on machete made by Corona of El Salvador.


Robert

Double post, please delete. :o

I have seen very similar pieces that originated in Indonesia.

Merry Christmas all!

bbjw