Jim, you ole' night-owl, you!
Thanks for responding on this piece. It seems you have the same concerns as I do about the marking. No doubt the expression is what sent the bidding so high. I had not considered the implications of the sentiment being from another conflict and this could explain things quite nicely. The etching seemed later than the time-period, but boarding pieces were often refitted and used long after their initial manufacture. I also wasn't paying attention to the very well-pointed out inscription on one side of the blade (what can I say. I'm ADHD-
), so it does seem like this was placed on the blade later as a form of display. Old sentiments do indeed die hard. Perhaps this was nothing more than a refurbished cutlass with a still-burning hatred that some might have found offensive, but none-the-less might have sat in a place of honor on some Englishman's mantle.
