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Old 4th April 2018, 03:24 PM   #1
G. Mansfield
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Default Sword for Identification

Today I was browsing the vault at the war museum where I work and stumbled upon this sword. Outside of my knowledge, I wondered the possible origin and date of this piece. It was donated a number of years ago but the source had no information pertaining to it. Possibly a reworked European blade mounted to a North African hilt? Horn grip and D-guard with some crude unidentified stamp markings on the blade. These are the only photos that I have at the moment. Any direction on where to search for this style sword would help. Thank You.

-Geoff
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Old 4th April 2018, 05:21 PM   #2
Sajen
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So far I know are this swords from Cuba but I am unsure, but certainly from South America.

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Detlef
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Old 4th April 2018, 05:27 PM   #3
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Here an old thread regarding this swords: http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...highlight=cuba
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Old 4th April 2018, 07:16 PM   #4
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Thank You Detlef, This is just the direction that I needed pointed to. Much appreciation.

-Geoff
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Old 4th April 2018, 07:18 PM   #5
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You are welcome Geoff!
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Old 4th April 2018, 09:54 PM   #6
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Hi Geoff:

Detlef has pointed you to the right place. Cuban machete/sword, Spanish-American War era.

Ian
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Old 5th April 2018, 03:19 AM   #7
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It would be interesting to know exactly where these blades were sourced from; New World, or Old.
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Old 5th April 2018, 05:25 AM   #8
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I agree with Ian. And I am thinking that they were made in Cuba.
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Old 5th April 2018, 10:06 AM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rick
It would be interesting to know exactly where these blades were sourced from; New World, or Old.
Here a quotation from Jim in the above given thread: "An article, "Machetes del Ejercito de Ultramar en Cuba y Puerto Rico" by Juan L. Calvo (Sept. 2006) shows one of these fabricated in Toledo in 1856 but attributed to Cuba as 'de Guanabacoa'."
I think it's nearby that they get worked partly in the old world and partly in the new world.

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Detlef
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Old 5th April 2018, 12:14 PM   #10
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Well Cuba Ok
but some of them are clearly South Morocco (until someone proves me that the scabbards are not Africans...)
So I prefer to say Spanish colonial...
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Old 5th April 2018, 12:45 PM   #11
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I think Kubur may have a point here about the scabbards.
They look awfully African.
Similar scabbards were used in Ethiopia ( see Spring “African arms and armor”, plate 24). I am not familiar with anything similar in any Spanish- controlled culture.
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Old 5th April 2018, 11:17 PM   #12
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Although scabbards being made in Africa could be a possibility, don't forget that a strong African influence from the descendants of African slaves was present and still exists in Cuba today.
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