Years ago I read in Wallace's Scottish Swords and Daggers that most Highland hilts were originally made with an applied finish -- russeting (akin to the browning used on contemporaneous firearms) or "japanning" (a type of black lacquer-like paint). The author states that during the Victorian era, a lot of swords were aggressively cleaned to make a bright finish that was preferred for decorative purposes. (likely that by then, the older swords had seen enough wear, tear, and exposure to the elephants as to make their owners think that a good cleaning was warranted anyway).
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