HUNTING SHORT-SWORD
WITH SCABBARD
Very similar to European "Hunting Swords" and/or Imperial German "Forestry Service Hangers" of the period, this one is believed to have been influenced by the Dutch who settled in the region, hold-overs from the Dutch East India Company. May actually be considered a knife, but has all the qualifications of a short-sword. Sword is crudely made - when compared to the quality of items made in the European edged weapon centers (such as Solingen) - and is typical of the quality of similar items from Indonesia.
Overall length, in scabbard, is ~22-1/4";
Sword/hanger, out of scabbard, is ~21-1/4" in length;
Hilt is ~5-3/8" in length - not including clamshell langet on front of crossguard.
Crossguard and pommel are made of brass; grip ferrule - between crossguard and grip - is made of an undetermined white thin sheet-metal. Crossguard is ~3-1/2" wide wide with rouneded "tear-drop" finials. Pommel has a ball finial, which serves to hold the grip onto the blade tang. One-piece grip is made of stag-horn; 3 brass "buttons" are attached to grip, obverse (right side).
Straight single-edged "bowie-type" blade is ~16" in length, ~1-7/16" wide at ricasso, swelling to 1-5/8" just before clipped-point and false-edge. Very-light scattered surface oxide, otherwise bright blade; unsharpened. Fullered groove is ~8 in length beginning ~1-1/2" from crossguard and ending ~6-1/2" from tip. Fuller is engraved with two distinct patterns and almost all of these weapons bear a similar design; ricasso is engraved with what appears to be "Cyrillic" writing, but that is an incorrect assessment; this example dated "1910".
Scabbard is ~16-3/4" in length and ~2-3/8" at the throat; two-piece wood construction, painted black. Thin white sheet-metal throat, drag type unknown. Scabbard may have had an outer protective covering at some time.
