Arrived yesterday, turns out the photos from the auction were very bad. I did some cleaning with a damp rag, dried it and Ballistoled it, and the scabbard. Still not sure if the grip is wood or light horn. There is s a bit of discolouration around a couple rivets that may have been from oil seeping into the grip (?).
There are a few pins missing. The grip does have some rudimentary ears. The Bolster and the wrap over the grip scales joint to the tang is silvered and darker than elsewhere, and it and the bolster is decorated. there is broken half ring i'm guessing held suspension ring for left side wear.
The double fullered 'trade' blade has a bit of shallow corrosion, but no active rust. The scabbard has a tin ribbed throat area with a few bumps and wrinkles, once decorated, but is intact, the upper bras/silvered panels have ghosts of past decor. The leather is a bit shrunken where it meets the metal covers, but is intact With just a bit of the ladder seam missing.
The lower brass section has decorated grooves, the central area appears to have a lot of shallow dents and wrinkles from normal wear and tear. The lower panels are silvered, has a few cracks and one sort of circular area about 1.5 cm. in diameter missing the lower brass and silver sections have a wide - about 2 cm. grooved reinforcing band running along the spine and the edge areas of the scabbard, joining in a cross-hatched 'acorn' finial that's a bit worn and corroded black, but reminds me of a pine cone. it has a slightly upturned 'nose', so I don't think there was any further protrusion that snapped off.
The blade markings: I tried to get a macro shot, but it looks like the one already posted. can't see any more detail. I can, however, see a ghost of a shield shape with a crown in its centre, which is essentially worn away and may be my imagination. Can't get a photo of it.
Edge is sharp, a few nicks, and a slightly rounded tip.
All in all I am a hap,hap, happy guy.
