[Jim McDougall]

As very astutely noted, these stamps are most certainly not 'genuine' East India Company marks. The EIC ceased after the Indian Mutiny in 1857, and by this time the variations of EIC balemarks had long since gone out of use. The use of the EIC rampant lion had been in place since around 1808, and sword blades were never marked with any EIC markings, it appears focus was on guns (though I have seen bayonets so marked). It seems that sword blades, as far as I have known, never bore any type of EIC letters or bale mark.

By the 1860s the use of EIG (East India Government)stamps became regularly used, but it seems unclear again whether any such stamps occurred on blades. It does seem as usual that firearms were stamped and one example with the Royal crown and EIG I found in my notes (date 1867) . I believe the EIG designation ceased after WWI. Most arms sent to India through official shipments went through ISD (India Stores Dept), but many were apparently sent privately it seems, as there are many variations and absence of such stamps.

These triangles with the EI (G?) do seem curious as they are so poorly applied and seem more the work of indifferent workers in 'official' capacity rather than the work of industrious modern vendors. The initials within the triangles are interesting and wonder if they might be a clue to where these might have been issued.