Nice sword.
Tim is probably right.
Perhaps it's the type of sword as was used by the female warriors (amazones) from the kingdom of Dahomey. Their king was called the 'Fon'. These women were called 'Ahosi'. They were the king's personal bodyguard and rather fierce.
More about these women can be read in 'African Arms and Armour' by Christopher Spring.
Here's an old postcard with some of these (already older) women. They all wear sabres.
