This is a fascinating topic Peter!! and wrought with complexity, especially as the detail expands into sword stick/cane and even more into the native regiments of East India Co. later into British Army.
I had no idea John Jacob was involved in creating this interesting sword hilt design in British cavalry officers swords. The notion of pierced work in the sheet guards of these heavy cavalry officers swords seems to have begun with the M1796 period types, which I believe were termed 'honeysuckle' pattern.
When the M1829 swords came out for both light and heavy cavalry, the M1821 swords both had the three bar design hilt for both troopers and officers.
The 1829 heavy cavalry had the sheet bowl hilts, with the troopers plain and the officers with pierced designs in the guard which I thought were extension of the designs on the 1796.
As these swords were of course produced until superceded in 1853 by the pattern of that year for ALL cavalry, light and heavy....it does seem quite possible that a design for the pierced work in the officers hilts might have been connected to John Jacob as noted.
He was a brilliant officer of the East India Co. and very innovative as in the famed battle of Meeanee in Sind in 1843, he had used straight swords attached to rifle barrels and intro the 'sword bayonet'.
After that campaign the remarkable pun supposedly issued by Sir Charles Napier...PECCAVI (Lat. -I have sinned) was issued noting his victory taking Sindh for the EIC.
The sword pictured is the heavy cavalry officers of 1829, which continued until 1853. Jacob went into Sind in 1838 forming irregular cavalry unit as these were termed, comprised of native forces commanded by British officers. This is of course the standard pattern for the British regular cavalry, so the pattern design for the Jacob sword was likely following this type work but using the more native related theme as described. The Sind regions were of course highly influenced by Persia, so quite understandable.
These men were keenly sensitive to the combining of tribal and ethnic forces and the cultural significance of many elements, so it would not be surprising that Jacob would propose designs using these kinds of themes.
The belt plate is from later in 1850s recognizing the battle honors from Sind, and the Scinde Irregular Horse (Jacobs Horse) as cavalry were termed.
Illustrated are John Jacob, and one of the Muslim Rissalders (NCO) of the Scinde Horse.
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