Forestry/Hunting Cutlass

[Captain Emo]

I found this yesterday and I would like your thoughts.

It is a hunting or forestry cutlass with a leather scabbard and a small skinning type knife. The handles look to be ivory. Both blades are heavily engraved. The areas where they are engraved almost look damascus. There is a maker mark of F.W.Co. and Berlin.

Is this a TR item or Imperial or other? The skinner handle is cracked and an "acorn" is missing. Should I try to repair/restore it?

Thanks in advance guys.

EM

[Saufaenger kid]

First of all, leave it exactly as it is, do not attempt to clean it, it is of the Imperial period circa 1900 I should think, a senior forestry piece. The grip plates on both are Ivory and have turned a very desirable colour indeed, the loss of the acorn on the skinner is not the end of the world, that type of acorn are not easily found, you may want to get a jeweller to make you one and have it gilted as the others are.
To identify the maker we would need to see a close up picture of the etch on both sides of both blades and a picture of the makers mark. If it were damascus it would be very rare and very valuable.
I love these things and you have a very nice example.

Nice find

Gary

[Captain Emo]

Thanks for the response Gary. I will post some pictures of the engraving tonightonce my mother-in-law leaves. The areas that look damascus are the areas that were carved away from the engraving, if that makes sense.

I never saw one with the small knife too. While the small knife was damaged, I knew I had to get this one for my collection.

Is there any way to tell where it was issued?

[Captain Emo]

Here are additional pictures of the blades of the cutlass and the skinner. I tried to capture what looks like damascus in the pictures. My camera is not good enough. I have not cleaned the blades.

http://picasaweb.google.com/dogboysdad/HuntingCutlass

[Tiger 1]

Captain Emo,


Nice Imperial or Weimar era hanger. As advised above please do not do anything to this piece. Leave it as it is as anything done to it will only dimish it's value. More collectables have been impaired and damaged by good intentions and poor conservation skills. Let it be.

Also, why do you think that it is damascus?

Tony

[Captain Emo]

That's the best way I can describe the blade. The areas that are "carved away" have that swirled damascus look. The "high" parts are shiny.

[Tiger 1]

Capt'n,

Now I understand your thinking.

What you have is a decorative etching on a carbon steel blade. The raised design was protected by a resist while the background wasn't and therefore was etched away. When the raised etched design was gilted it was sometimes refered to as being 'damascened'. It is a description of a decorative process and has nothing to do with the blade being forged of actual damascus.

Regardless you have a very nice hanger.

All the best,

Tony