Actually, I think Jim has hit it on the head. The hilt, as I said, looks very similar to the Mole varieties of British swords, with the criss-cross patterning, hilt shape which isn't shaped to the hand, but rounded, like the other brit swords of this period (think m1845 naval cutlass, m1850's artillery swords, etc). Mole exported many swords with this hilt type all over the world (even for the Confederacy during the Amer Civil War). Jim mentions that Mole made tulwar patterns (including ones with similar baldes) for the East Indian troops, so mentioned and even supported by Jim having had several. I seem to recall a pic of one in Southwick's catalog? Have to look that one up. All info, so far and not barring this being a remount, seems to indicate a Brit issuance sword for East Indian troops. Could the marking be a Hindi arsenal number that has been partially rubbed off?
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