The Kastane is the national sword of Sri-Lanka. It is characterized by its short curved blade, usually of mediocre quality and highly decorative hilt and scabbard. Here we have a good typical example with 19 inches blade crude and of rather low quality. The blade is stamped and marked 1717. Although Gregorian dating on Kastane swords is known, we think it is a late 19 C. sword which either employed an older blade or just marked at early date. The cast silver and brass grip is of great decorative values – A piece of art by itself. The monster styled quillons and the monster head pommel with all parts delicately chiseled and engraved with great care and fine details and set with red stone eyes. The scabbard is low grade silver very delicately chased. Very good condition. There is an old soldering repair on the scabbard. This item is coming from the collection of the Calgary Military Institute, Canada and it is marked with the institute inventory number MI-2094 An unusually decorative piece.