RARE 1753 DATED INDONESIAN CUTLASS

24” curved s. e. blade with narrow back fuller, stamped with the mark of the Dutch East India Company (VOC), an A and 1753. By this time, the VOC had lost much of its territory to the (British) East India Company and the Ostend Company. Its activities were largely confined to Indonesia. Commerce by small boats among the islands of Indonesia was constantly threatened by sea pirates. Short bladed weapons for hand to hand fighting on shipboard were the norm. This weapon combines the khanda hilt used throughout India and Indonesia with the European blade to produce a cutlass. Only such example we have seen.