Boarding Saber commonly used by pirates and sailors for tight quarter combat on ships, with ornately decorated sheath with burl style faux wood covered with medially of scrolls and sweeps. Cutlass style blade with blood groove about 12" flows into upswept wide guard with knuckle protector grip. About 20" overall. Accented with waist chain and tassel and gem-like stone pommel. Very ornate saber that is a showpiece, display proudly for your friends or family. A little history: Best known as the sailor's weapon of choice, the naval side-arm, likely because it was also robust enough to hack through heavy ropes, canvas and wood. It is also short enough to use in relatively close quarters, such as during boarding actions, in the rigging, or below decks. Another advantage to the cutlass was its simplicity of use. The cutlass required less training than the rapier or court sword, and was more effective as an infantry weapon than the sabre. The cutlass is the sword most usually portrayed in films about pirates.