I agree with Jose that this blade is a really good catch!
Based on the flow of lines and surface condition, I'd be inclined to place the blade at mid-19th century to Span-Am war period rather than any earlier.
There is a good chance that the narrow engraved lines once had silver inlay; however, the motif close to the tip was a bit crudely cut. Maybe there is no undercut for better retention of any inlay?
The scabbard seems to be a later replacement which might be consistent with a WWII scenario. I'd try to remove the varnish after carefully glueing the recent crack (traditional wood glue, possibly with a de-oiling step for tropical woods; I reckon the wood is not really heavy hardwood though?).
BTW, aren't the service numbers from Victoria accessible?
Regards,
Kai
Last edited by kai; 29th April 2019 at 12:01 PM.
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