The mid- to late 17th century was the heyday of the pirate trade, and pitched battles at sea between armed sailing ships were common. Marines carried muskets, but for sailors the pistol-cutlass combination made far more sense. Sailors who could get a loaded pistol could readily board an enemy vessel, fire a shot, use the emptied gun as a small club, and swing a cutlass all the time.

Moreover, pistols being what they were and boarding attacks being virtual mob assaults, one did not need to be much of a marksman. An enemy was usually only a few feet away if that far. Anyone armed with a musket would have found it far more hindrance than help.

Specialized weapons were developed for such melees, one of them being the Cutlass Pistol. This weapon allowed a close-quarters shot (accuracy was limited at best!) and then provided a very useful tool for shipboard fighting - the cutlass. This short-bladed saber was at home among the rigging and cluttered decks of a sailing ship, where a longer sword was at a disadvantage. This non-firing non-sharpened version features a functional lock mechanism, and is authentic in size a detailing.

This pistol cutlass combo sports a 14.5" curved decorator metal blade measuring 28" overall and weighs in at 2.6 lbs. "Ieee, 'Tis a beautiful sight ta behold."