Unknown sword. Cuban, philippines?

Jim McDougall · 10th February 2019, 01:10 AM

Spanish colonial anomalies!!
The infamous 'Berber' sabres, which have haunted these pages for nearly decades, presented a curious hilt variation back in 2007 which this hilt reminded me of (attach.)

While the blade on this 2007 example is one of the British 1796 cavalry blades and overall seems one of the familiar 'Berber' sabres but with a distinctly different hilt. It was suggested to me by an authority on Indonesian and Malaysian weapons this was likely from those regions. It seemed to recall the 'parang' in the gestalt of the hilt.

While outside the Philippines 'neighborhood' which would account for the interloping of one of these blades typically known on the Spanish colonial (Cuban. Central American) being present...…..it does seem that blades from highly incongruent places ended up in these contexts. Attached are two parang hilted blades which are of kaskara form from Sudan.

This 'S' hilted example hanger seems to have a parang type hilt, but in overall character does seem from the 'Americas' . The stamped mark resembles the kinds of outfitter/importer types seen in the Caribbean regions.

I have often wondered just how much cross diffusion was brought FROM the Philippines and these areas back to Cuba and Central America. It was always curious to me that the machete type 'Berber' sabres often had their blade tips reprofiled to resemble those of the kampilan .

Influences travel more than one direction......and the Spanish Main was a heavily trafficked conduit.

10th February 2019, 01:10 AM	#4
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,295	Spanish colonial anomalies!! The infamous 'Berber' sabres, which have haunted these pages for nearly decades, presented a curious hilt variation back in 2007 which this hilt reminded me of (attach.) While the blade on this 2007 example is one of the British 1796 cavalry blades and overall seems one of the familiar 'Berber' sabres but with a distinctly different hilt. It was suggested to me by an authority on Indonesian and Malaysian weapons this was likely from those regions. It seemed to recall the 'parang' in the gestalt of the hilt. While outside the Philippines 'neighborhood' which would account for the interloping of one of these blades typically known on the Spanish colonial (Cuban. Central American) being present...…..it does seem that blades from highly incongruent places ended up in these contexts. Attached are two parang hilted blades which are of kaskara form from Sudan. This 'S' hilted example hanger seems to have a parang type hilt, but in overall character does seem from the 'Americas' . The stamped mark resembles the kinds of outfitter/importer types seen in the Caribbean regions. I have often wondered just how much cross diffusion was brought FROM the Philippines and these areas back to Cuba and Central America. It was always curious to me that the machete type 'Berber' sabres often had their blade tips reprofiled to resemble those of the kampilan . Influences travel more than one direction......and the Spanish Main was a heavily trafficked conduit. Attached Images