Dagger id question

[Gavin Nugent]

Originally Posted by Neil

Gavin,
What aspects in particular give you the impression that it is Chinese
Thanks,
Neil

Such a weapons is hard pressed to find a conclusive answer.
The first aspect for me would be the thick bronze guard.
The hilt looked curved or at least on an angle that swayed me to the Philippines with Henk indicated and the faceted hilt shape also reminds me of some weapons found in the region but I again come back to the guard and that I have had two (and seen other) Chinese knives with simple thick guards and European like blades.
Both I had were modified bayonets, one being of this form like yours but with a cylindrical all brass hilt of slightly differing form, the other I see Nathaniel has picked up....although showing rather standard fittings does have a modified single edged bayonet blade.
Recycled goods are seen often in Chinese weapons of the working class and I am sure other regions but for me, I run with China.

Other images of the butt and tang might offer more clues too.

Gav

[Robert]

Hello Neil, and may I add that this is a very interesting dagger you have found. Like Gav, I would very much like to see more images of the butt and tang of this piece to help in its identification. Now for the blade itself, I do not believe that it was ever part of any bayonet but instead is a common style from both the Philippines as well Spain and other areas that were once under Spanish rule. The faceted hilt is also very Philippine in style while the guard is more Chinese in appearance. This piece could very well be a Chinese/Philippine influenced design and possibly from Luzon. Like I stated earlier, more pictures of the end of the hilt would help in identifying it place of origin.

Robert

[Neil]

I really appreciate everyone's insightful comments. I will definitely post more pictures as requested.

At this point I am feeling the Philippine suggestions make the most sense to me. I know I have seen this blade form before, and when Robert mentioned Spanish influence it rung a bell as I look at the piece as a whole. I really see no Chinese commonalities that I am familiar with aside from the association of the group of knives it came in. I believe the former owner was a knife collector so it could have snuck in there under the radar. Of course that is just my opinion.

[Neil]

Here are the additional pictures.

[Nathaniel]

Good thought Robert, I can easily see how it could be a hybrid of a ethnically Chinese smith in the Philipines with the Spanish/ Philipino influence. The Chinese traded and settled all over Asia.

[Sajen]

By searching in old threads I stumbled over this thread. I think that the dagger in question is a Tres Kantos dagger from Luzon.

Regards,
Detlef