Thank you Gentlemen for all your input
.
When I first saw the pictures of this sword, I believed the hilt to be Ivory...but with such a talismatic, expensive material, I thought more care would be taken with the decoration. Seeing that this was not the case ....and coupled to that my reservations with the blade, I began to question whether this was, indeed, Ivory or 'made' to look ivorine.
I am obviously too suspicious.......ebay can have that effect
Please, has this sword type a name ? Are they more of a ceremonial / status piece ? If so, were they decended from perhaps, a functional version ?
Best Regards
David