This is absolutely fantastic Robert! and this example is what I really like best, early honest working weapons. What you have done here is assembled with these three pieces, a nice chronological selection of what Levine (1985) classifies a Central American dirk of Spanish colonial style (A8, p.461).
This was a great thread from 2008, although it digressed a great deal into terminology and intriguing, but heavy discourse regarding gauchos etc. which I hope will not be the case here. In looking at the form of the hilt, it recalls the Spanish colonial hangers (pre Mexican independence of 1821) which are termed 'round tang espadas' (Adams '85). These have the same kind of wood or horn grips in this shape with often brass spacers between. This is a feature of Spanish colonial hilts that seems to have prevailed throughout the Spanish trade empire clear to the Philippines and into the 20th century.
I would say your first example that began the thread is the most recent, probably turn of the century, and very well could be an Argentinian fabrication, with as noted, a British Martini Henry M1860 yataghan bayonet.
The "Spanish Main" was of course well in place in these times still, and we have discussed often the many forms of edged weapons, often with maritime association that kept South America and all of Latin America well connected.
The second example has the characteristic hilt sectioning, but has the distinct ring on the guard. The example in Levine seems to have a larger ring which is closed, while this is more of a curved quillon.
This apparantly older example seems to exhibit an even rougher and key representation of this appendage, and this example reflects the earlier examples of this form and the familiar quillon terminal styling carried from even earlier Spanish colonial swords. I wanted to add one of the examples of yours which corresponds beautifully to this one.
The Martini Henry bayonet 1860 attached is to correspond to the blade in example one.
Very, very nice!!!
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