New Acquisition, Mandau, said to be 1800's

[werecow]

I don't know if it'll help much but I've cropped the picture to just the stamped letters on the mandau and some file marks that may or may not tell the experts something about the origins. In any case, the font was what the one under discussion reminded me of (although it seems to be narrower on yours).

I hope I can say that it is a very typical blade profile with otherwise no embellishments that I could see (i.e. no curly cutout decorations, engravings or brass or silver inlays, but with a nicely carved antler grip and some decorative panels on the scabbard).

If the picture is not allowed I shall willingly place my head upon the digital chopping block.

[werecow]

Also it may be nothing but the unusual little "ricasso" area at the base of the blade reminds me somewhat of those on klewang blades and some Tjikeroeh swords.

[kai]

Yes, this stepped ricasso was one of the features I was referring to.

BTW, any chance that the tang got welded to the blade, Joe?

Regards,
Kai