Infantry Machete, Circa 1890.

Impressive antique machete made in Germany in the late 19th century (1890) by Fernando Esser from Elberfeld. This weapon is singularly beautiful and extremely original, and was designed for an officer of the Spanish army in Cuba. The machete draws out attention for its excellent condition and comes with the fine original leather scabbard. Nevertheless, its most appealing feature is surely its grip, made of brass and wood and shaped like a horses leg. The piece was molded and engraved by hand in a realistic way and reveals the hand of a talented artisan. This particular machete was made by Fernando Esser from Elberfeld, name that we can see clearly embossed in the leather scabbard. As stated before, probably the most remarkable feature of this machete is the design of the grip. The brass piece shaped as a horse leg is crowned by a piece of solid wood that imitates the look of a horses foot in an incredibly realistic way. The metal surface bears an engraved motive that imitates the horses fur and the cross-guard is composed by two quillons shaped like horses, each one bending in a different direction. In the center of the cross-guard we can see a fine equestrian engraving. The leather scabbard has steel locket and head; the locket is adorned by a piece engraved in the shape of an acorn Greatly original and stunningly designed, this fearful machete is a rare piece that any collector will long to own. Measurements: Blade: 29.1 in/74 cm. Machete (with grip): 34.8 in/88.5 cm.