The riveted assembly is what you want to see on these. Occasionally the struts and the crescents are tongue-and-groove forge welded, which is also good. You can tell the bogus ones by their gas or heli-arc welded joints
Re: age. Do the blades have a certain amount of rigidity, as you'd expect a fighting sword to be? (beware of something that is whippy like a fencing foil) Any signs of lamination in the steel?