Dear Keith,

Thank you for contacting Mearto with your appraisal inquiry. My sincere apologies for the delay with the appraisal.

The presented object appears to be a lion head pommel short sword made by Fernando Esserfeld who was active in South America. This piece was made in the 19th or early 20th century.
Comparable objects were recently offered and sold on the international auction market.
This piece is in good condition and no severe damage is visible in the images provided.
A fair market estimation would be between 200 to 400 USD.
This estimate is based on actual recent past recorded auction sales of comparable items. Retail "asking prices" can be higher and may vary.

With kind regards,
Gregory