Sundang with an Interesting Mark on the Scabbard
 

I recently acquired this Sundang. The scabbard had tape holding it together, so while I was removing it I found this interesting mark of an anchor running through 2 caduceus staffs. I am guessing that some U.S. Navy Medical Officer picked this up and marked it with the anchor. Could one determine the age of the sword by identifying the time period that this particular stamp was used?

Interesting Maguindanao kris/sundang.

I have seen some scabbards made of used wood, even with sea worm holes in them. Here this looks like some scrap from a European ship and reused for a scabbard.

Thanks for your comments. I thought that the stamp might have been placed on the scabbard afterward because it is on a rounded edge which would have been removed(the stamp), had it been there before they shaped the sheath.

The marking appears to be burnt into the wood.
I have not been able to find an anchor device with a caduceus wrapped around the stock as this one is.
It also looks like multiple impressions. :shrug:

Hi
This is not a caduceus but a rope.
It was stamped twice.
I saw this sign a the back of Chinese ceramics for the East India company but i dont remember where...
To me it's a good sign of age... really cool...

Great different perspectives!

Interesting indeed. :)

Most fouled anchor devices have the shank and flukes entwined along with the stock.
What is the size of the impression?

7/8" x 3/8"

This picture somewhat looks like the one on the scabbard.

Talisman
 

That could be the right insignia.
Since I have an overactive imagination I'll guess that the emblem was burned into the wood with a red hot uniform button.

Anything is possible, maybe even probable.

I'm just wondering if it might be a WW2 Japanese navy stamp that would have been marking it as a trophy or being shipped back to Japan.

:shrug:

My money is on Drac and Rick.
Looks like a vague imprint of a US Navy Corpsman's button.
To me, it sure looks like a button like this was heated and used as a primitive stamp, twice.