Excellent call by Arms & Antiques in the well illustrated comparison with the French hunting sword blade with similar fluted channels. I would have been inclined toward a polearm head such as suggested by Kubur without this compelling look at the French blade.
This seems a one off creation but made in Sri Lanka in the spirit of the famed Kandy craftsmen who fashioned the beautiful piha kaetta knives.
It is of course anybodys guess how a French blade, especially this late, would arrive in this trade sphere but certainly like with many weapons they could turn up anywhere via these networks.
As noted this 'kastane' hilt component has been paired with a ground down point added to the blade, and neo baroque flourish to the blade root adds the kind of decorative style favored on the piha kaettas. Surely an interesting and attractive piece from probably turn of the century or later.
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