I recently bought this Cutlass. Mainly just because I liked it. I have been a closet Pirate all of my life.

Can anyone shed some light on it's origin?

After I got it, I discovered it is Unit Marked
H.P.5 . This mark is similar to a German police unit mark. Whowever, it could be just about anything.

Is it possibly a Police Cutlass?

Thanks...

Ron

Hi Ron,

I commented on your cutlass on the Luger Forum and I still don't know what it might be. Can we see a photo of the scabbard as this may help? Is there a maker mark on it anywhere and does it have a brass or white metal hilt? Is the grip wood or sharkskin covered?

Here is an example of a German Police short sword with a white metal hilt and slab sided blade for comparison. This one is Braunschweig Polizei marked on the guard from the Imperial time period.

George

Hi George,

I saw your reply on Still's forum. It didn't come with a scabbard. No markings other than the HP 5. The guard is brass, the grip is covered with skin and bound with red copper wire.

Thanks...

Ron

Ron,

You know, it is possible that it is not even German. Frankly the leather on the grip and the plain copper wire do not look very German to me. The British Police wore brass "hangers" similar to this but they typically had sharkskin grips without any wire wrap. I know other European police departments also wore similar short swords.

Perhaps someone else has seen something similar to this "cutlass." Maybe it really is a pirate sword and that is what the "P" stands for.

George

I have printed off these pics and will take them to British expert. He will tell me I hope and I will post asap.

Thanks very much, I appreciate it.

Ron

Hello.

I took it to Jim, he is unable to place the type and country apart from it being very European. He commented that the grip has been replaced (the leather and copper wire)

Sorry we cannot be more definate. Though I can assure you that his knowledge base is very broad and he did try to look up the style. A scabbard may havge helped? It is most probably a naval boarding weapon that would have been stored in a rack.

Thanks very much for the help. It will most likely remain unidentified.

Ron