I think David made a well reasoned guess and his notes on the modernization of the Afghan and Iranian armies in the latter 19th century are well placed.
However the primary influences in these countries were Great Britain and Russia and not Italy. These two powers were involved in the contest for Afghan regions in what became known as 'The Great Game' ( book by that title by Peter Hopkirk) with Iran competing as well.
I can see the inclination toward the Afghan military sword of the 19th century, but the hilt, blade etc are all different other than being a stirrup hilt and the blade is profoundly channeled.
These stamps in this blade are in some ways mindful of those in the Afghan swords, but in this case have nothing to do with the Afghan stamp representing the Mosque at Mazir I Sharif, which is that of the arsenal at Machin Khana in Kabul and is found on the Afghan military swords.
Actually, as I noted, these distinctive 'finger stalls' are characteristic of a good number of Italian military swords of the 19th c.
In the Calamendrei book I noted, the two most predominantly similar examples to yours are the 'sciabola sul modello adottato in Piedmont nel 1855' (p.256); and another sciabola ' official di fanteria' of 1854-59.
I personally believe that the numerous examples seen in the Italian references showing these features as characteristic of Italian military swords are compelling enough to classify this as Italian.
I will note however the disparities in securing an 'exact' match.
The Italian patterns noted seem to have straight sabre blades, while yours has a curved blade. The scabbards of these Italian military patterns, like most European forms later in the century, have single carry rings rather than double as yours has.
The quillon on the patterns referenced is the turned down type, yours is a straight projecting type (it seems a French affectation).
The langet on the hilts of the patterns shown is squared and blockish, while yours is more elliptical (as also seemingly a French affectation of earlier sabres).
So using the deductive methods in degree, since the Piedmont is one of the northernmost regions of Italy bordering France, perhaps this might be a variant reflecting such influences?
While not wishing to enter into the geopolitical climate of the 1850s and into the century further, it seems that France of course was allied with Great Britain in the Crimean War in their alignment defending Ottoman Turkey against Russia, with a degree of Italian support.
It is tempting to consider that these influences might have evolved together in this weapon which seems a variant of known Italian patterns, and most likely of course post Crimea (1854-56) . Here I would point out that in the late 1860s Italy was deeply in its own wars of unification between its many principalities and city states.
This might have been a perfect climate for such ersatz variants, and the match of an Ottoman military blade and scabbard to an Italian hilt seems quite possible.
These thoughts are admittedly tenuously speculative, but if they bring forth better informed thoughts and observations, well worth stating .
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