Ariel,
First off, bravo Wyborowa but if you are going to bring up arak please specify good Turkish raki, the noblest of licorice intoxicants, eh?
Well observed on this sword. The guard however, is not silver, it is cast aluminium or pewter.
The blade is entirely suspect as well-- it may also be cast metal (did anyone think to have the seller put a magnet to it for that amount of money?) or the marks were applied with acid or machine tools.
The grips are absolutely fresh wood, even the rivets show no wear.
The quality of work coming out of Damascus is above this, they are lavishing things both old and new with koftgari and are beginning to get the hilt and scabbard elements right.
This sword was probably made in India or perhaps in E. Europe (sorry for that, Michal.) Wherever a market exists, some enterprising sort will try to fill it, be it Tanjore or Tbilisi.
Emptors must really caveat these days.
Ham
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