That is a very good point, Victrix, concerning the dolphin/sea monster finial. I also wanted to immediately blurt out 'sea service' sword, but we all know my biases when it comes to that! Of course, this heavy cutlass closely resembles other Dutch naval pieces of the era (and that of rival Great Britain, who had the brass naval monster head swords). If we take into consideration that possibility, could the hilt motif simply be allegorical?
The Barbary Corsairs, terror of the West African Coast, were heavily active during this time period. They attacked many European ships and forced some nations to pay them tribute just to sail through the Straits of Gibraltar unmolested. Obviously, the Dutch saw them as a scourge and perhaps some daring sea captain had this fine sword specially made (the two lions representing the Dutch lion, as their symbol from time immortal, attacking a Turk.) I'm wondering if any of the more famous Muslim pirates (the Barbarossa brothers, for instance), were beard-less?
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