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Originally Posted by Tim Simmons
Some people value these rather highly. A beautiful sword. I think there is no reason to believe the scabbard is not original, I feel sure the bands on the scabbard are silver also. It looks to me like it just needs cleaning with a rag and some 3 in 1 machine oil. Any stubborn gunge should move with the use of the finest polishing steel wool with the oil. It is wise to be most gentle to the silver on the blade.
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My reason for believing that the scabbard is not original is based on the assumption that it is not completely covered with silver (just going by the photos here). If its all silver, it indeed is probably original. The scabbards are often the first thing to go on these, though, and it is pretty common to find simpler replacements of plain wood bound with rattan or metal bands.
Do you have some close-ups of the scabbard? Even if it is wood, if the bands are of silver and repeat a decorative motif from, say, the rim of the ferrule, you could have an original. I've just never seen one of these types with a bare wood scabbard.
John, I can send you a copy of the Bell article and the 1878 Act, if you are interested. Dan posted the information from Lung Som in this thread:
http://www.vikingsword.com/ubb/Forum1/HTML/002324.html
BTW, there is a photo in there of a sword that vaguely resembles the one you 'mailed me about. Hard to tell if there is a match.