This Cuttoe Seems A Little Fishy To Me

[Hotspur]

Currently inbound to me. I should be saving for that one last acquisition but it never seems to last the year. This short little guy should still be a keeper. The blade is only 15"/39.37 cm long. A whopping 22"/55.88 cm overall in length. I can't be sure if it is horn but seems to be. The fish guard and locket drew me in. I won't know how stable the scabbard is until I have it in hand. The blade appears to have been vigorously cleaned, what I refer to as scraped but not so the fittings. That puts me in a quandary as to whether to just go with my soft brushes, or go ahead and wipe it with cleaner/polish and then let it mellow.

I'm figuring late mid 18th century, based on the style and blade but the guard has me kind of perplexed, the hook that set my bid.

Thoughts? I bring this to the most serial serious here. Forgive me for the puns.

Cheers
GC