Ricky, this is an extremely nice example of an Afghan paluoar, and the decorative features of the hilt reflect well established motif of the sabres of Northwest India. The scabbards are typically remounted through generations as typical of most ethnographic arms, and the fluted long scabbard chape is characteristic Afghan style (also similar seen on some Uzbek shashka type sabres).
The deeply stamped mark at the ricasso near the hilt and partially obscured by the langet resembles early European crescent moon with face marks used originally in Spain by several makers, then copied in centers such as Solingen and Styria. It seems that paluoar blades are most typically stamped with the so called 'sickle marks' of Genoa, then Styria, but as applied are clearly native armourer applications. In my view this is most likely the case here, but it is most interesting to see this well stamped mark as I have personally never seen one like this. Marking in that particular quadrant of the blade seems typically favored in these regions, and I would suggest the blade is native made in Northern Indian regions. Its raised back at the blade root is seen on many Indian sabre forms, and the blade carries the typical 'Indian ricasso' which is the blunt portion which remains unsharpened. The sharpened back at the term is termed the 'false edge', and when the tip is widened as well the expansion is termed the 'yelman' which does not apply here.
I do not think these were makers marks, but spuriously applied imitations of early European marks which implied quality and may have had in some cases certain talismanic properties.
It is always hard to guage the actual vintage of many of these long favored traditional weapons,but this one certainly seems of the forms seen from mid 18th century and well through the 19th.
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