Visayan "pinuti"

[Ian]

Originally Posted by tom hyle

The doghead hilt on Rick's sword is sometimes seen on European machete blades. The usual attribution is PI. ... For now, one such sword with a leather scabbard is ebay # 6527728238 (closed auction). I recently got an English Mole blade of very similar form mounted in a wooden boot type handle (usually considered Mexican; it's a Mexican style cowboy boot....), and in an identical sheath (including the suspension system) to the ebay one. Pancolonialism?........

Tom:

I think those Mole swords with the Caribbean treatment almost always come from the West Indies. The one that you list has a scabbard marked Trinidad BWI (British West Indies) -- mostly WWII vintage I think. Quite common to see these with carved native heads on the hilts, and a wire wrap to the lower area of the hilt is common too.

Ian.