Hi Mark,
I thought this relavent to the thread.....here is one the members of my "Mystery Pile"
.
An Africanised Cutless ....believed an european blade, scabbard and hilt 'style' ....strongly suggests West African, likely Ivory Coast. Patina of the blade suggest some age (possibly 18th C ) The right place, the right time (perhaps) for tales of slavery, of sea faring and of piracy
.....well thats what I would like to believe
Interestingly Spain apparently continued in the slave trade, after the other countries had abolished it.
All the best
David