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Originally Posted by Shakethetrees
Just because the blade is a match for another cutlass with a different hilt, I would not be too quick to change it.
Blades were sold by importers loose in bundles and mounted here and in England with hilts of whatever form the contract called for. A lot of them were not government contract pieces but made for the privateer/merchant market and followed no set pattern.
The guard of simple stirrup form made of thin wrought iron is probably original to the blade. I've seen a number of unquestionably correct pieces over the years with this thin material, so tread lightly!
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You are quite correct loose and mounted blades were imported into the colonies legally and illegally. I do have the provenance of this piece without publishing it publicly and it is without a doubt a correct period piece.