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.

[tom hyle]

I agree (the one on ebay is wrapped in string, but wire is more common, and is what is on my boot sword, and is also common on N American both Indian and rural/low-caste work, too.), but what I find interesting is the form of the head; it is not one I see on ID'd Caribean stuff, but usually as PI.....do you think this is basically a matter of common mis-ID, and the type is Caribean? The head on Rick's is a bit different, but mainly in the nose, and seems to fit the category, while the blade, etc. are clearly PI....coincidence?