The knife arrived today so some of the questions I had are now answered. Detlef, you are correct again and the scabbard is in fact made of brass and not tin as I was told. When I first unpacked it I was sure (because of the grayish color) it was tin, but after a quick wipe with a little soap on a damp cloth to my surprise it turned from the gray color to tarnished greenish brown brass. The edges of the brass on the back of the sheath have a broken solder joint where they once overlapped from throat to the broken tip. Sadly the hilt material is not horn, but is wood just as the seller stated and has several cracks, splits and other damage. The ferrule next to the brass guard might be a replacement as it is poorly made from a very thin piece of brass that is just wrapped around the damaged end of the hilt and shows no sign of ever being soldered. Unlike the front brass ferrule the one on the end of the hilt and the butt cap are both made of steel and unlike the other are fitted to follow the contours of the wooden grip. The blade surprisingly is laminated and though a little thinner than I would have expected is still very sharp. Other than the front brass ferrule this was/is a very well made knife that would have served its owner well for general use and protection if needed. Photos to follow when I have had more time to clean and tidy this up a bit.
Best,
Robert
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