Matchets and a Cutlass

Norman McCormick · 1st July 2012, 10:33 PM

Hi Jim,
The catalogue page I have illustrated is from the Sheffield manufactories (1816) so a bit earlier than Gilkerson. The machetes in Gilkerson are taken from the catalogue of Schnitzler and Kirschbaum which is dated to the mid-19thC. There is one in Gilkerson from this catalogue that has the GR cypher but Philip Lankester in this tract put this down to the fact that antique style cutlass blades were continually being manufactured well into the mid-19thC for the East and West Indian markets the cypher being added to imitate an accepted symbol of a good quality blade. The blades from Sheffield are 20 to 28 inches long but it is not known whether this is inclusive of the hilt or not.
My Regards,
Norman.

Hi n2s,
The example I have is a Cutlass blade similar to the last one on the illustration, it 26 1/4 inches blade only. Hope this helps.
My Regards,
Norman.

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1st July 2012, 10:33 PM	#4
Norman McCormick Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 1,618	Hi Jim, The catalogue page I have illustrated is from the Sheffield manufactories (1816) so a bit earlier than Gilkerson. The machetes in Gilkerson are taken from the catalogue of Schnitzler and Kirschbaum which is dated to the mid-19thC. There is one in Gilkerson from this catalogue that has the GR cypher but Philip Lankester in this tract put this down to the fact that antique style cutlass blades were continually being manufactured well into the mid-19thC for the East and West Indian markets the cypher being added to imitate an accepted symbol of a good quality blade. The blades from Sheffield are 20 to 28 inches long but it is not known whether this is inclusive of the hilt or not. My Regards, Norman. Hi n2s, The example I have is a Cutlass blade similar to the last one on the illustration, it 26 1/4 inches blade only. Hope this helps. My Regards, Norman.