[Ian]

algrennathan and bathala,

Your points are well taken, and I think xasterix has answered to the best of his ability. I have had the pleasure of corresponding with xas for the last couple of years, and come to know a little of his sources and data collection methods. The opinions he has stated here come from Filipino experts as well as local archives that are inaccessible to those of us outside the Philippines. Some of that material has been presented on these forum pages. On the other hand, many of the local informants insist upon anonymity, and some information cannot be shared (according to traditional customs). Such are the problems of ethnographic research, where "hard data" is often very difficult to find.

With regard to the original post of this thread, it is apparent to the seasoned collector of Filipino arms that the sword is not a traditional Filipino pattern. The long tapering blade, perhaps resembling a Spanish rapier, was probably made in Manila or a surrounding province by a local blade smith. The D-guard hilt with down-turned quillion is also very much a Spanish style, while the hilt has a little flair to the grip with some inset pieces of what appears to be capiz shell or MOP, suggesting its owner was willing to pay a little more for a stylish sword.

This sword would be quite at home being used for a duel in Madrid. It is a single-edged thrusting sword. Such is not the type of sword used by most Filipinos of that era who favored shorter swords with heavier blades. So xasterix's designation of this sword as likely belonging to a Spaniard or perhaps a mestizzo is quite logical. His suggestion is entirely in keeping with the respective cultures of that period. Is that conclusive proof? Certainly not, but it is the considered opinion of a local person who has done a lot of research on Filipino weapons and used many of the tools employed in academic ethnographic research (consideration of archival literature, use of local informants, personal research of local sites, etc.).

Lastly, one should consider also other Spanish colonies and how Spanish style swords developed in Mexico. The group of swords referred to as espada ancha were again locally made swords based on Spanish patterns and used primarily by local Spaniards and mestizzos.