Absolutely Rob,
I appreciate you not only taking a chance on this, and having the courage to post it no holds barred. There are many readers who fear making comments due to risk of adverse reaction. In my opinion any sincere entry of either example or comment has merit and potential.
Actually, in my minds eye, I have seen something like this in an auction catalog years ago, and if I recall it was against a blue background like this, and was a rapier. While this is full length sword, the alternating quillon guard and the ring side guard recall left hand daggers, obviously which this is not. Perhaps the blade was added, hard to say.
Earlier in looking through "Armi Bianche Italiene" (Boccia & Coelho, 1975) many of the weapons reflect this kind of dynamic iron work and writhen dynamics, though not necessarily coiled in this manner. However looking at the often complex guard systems in rapiers etc. with often elaborate figures and art work, I could not help but think of this as with Italian influence.
The grotesque face on the pommel also corresponds to such features on some of these, mostly these weapons are from 16th-through 17th c.
Though not saying this is a weapon that early, it does provide a certain palate of influence that might have been produced indeed in the 19th century in any number of circumstances in similar ateliers in the manner of Schmidt.
Certainly not an answer, bot hopefully a direction.
all the best
Jim
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