Interesting cutlass on ebay

ariel · 31st May 2006, 10:09 PM

So, how about a poll:
Please estimate the likelihood of the original cutlass being an authentic (even if restored) weapon and not a 20th century copy.
Please give a numerical value from 0% to 100%.
I suggested this approach, and I should be the first one to "put my cock on the block" (a South African expression I learned from my friends. Please notice complete absense of urological implications: it refers to a poultry specimen of male persuasion.

nobody believes me?)
My number: 30%

Mark · 31st May 2006, 10:39 PM

Actually, my totally un-scientific but gut reason for thinking this is "genuine" (in the sense of having been made or cobbled together for actual use, rather than created as a copy) is the fact that it looks so weird. I would expect a copy/replica/forgery to look more like something ... well, real.

The big hole in my flawless logic is that it could be something someone made a year ago for the hell of it, either completely or from an older blade (broken or otherwise).

But, at the risk of my male poultry, I am sticking to my attribution as a roughly-done re-hilting of a broken kilij-like sword. 100%. Of course, being only somewhat knowledgeable about one particular type of Asian swords, I am perfectly safe in expressing outrageous opinions about completely unrelated swords, because no one would seriously think I know what I am talking about, so I have no credibility to lose!

31st May 2006, 10:09 PM	#1
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	So, how about a poll: Please estimate the likelihood of the original cutlass being an authentic (even if restored) weapon and not a 20th century copy. Please give a numerical value from 0% to 100%. I suggested this approach, and I should be the first one to "put my cock on the block" (a South African expression I learned from my friends. Please notice complete absense of urological implications: it refers to a poultry specimen of male persuasion. nobody believes me?) My number: 30%

31st May 2006, 10:39 PM	#2
Mark Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 987	Actually, my totally un-scientific but gut reason for thinking this is "genuine" (in the sense of having been made or cobbled together for actual use, rather than created as a copy) is the fact that it looks so weird. I would expect a copy/replica/forgery to look more like something ... well, real. The big hole in my flawless logic is that it could be something someone made a year ago for the hell of it, either completely or from an older blade (broken or otherwise). But, at the risk of my male poultry, I am sticking to my attribution as a roughly-done re-hilting of a broken kilij-like sword. 100%. Of course, being only somewhat knowledgeable about one particular type of Asian swords, I am perfectly safe in expressing outrageous opinions about completely unrelated swords, because no one would seriously think I know what I am talking about, so I have no credibility to lose!