Thank you all gentlemen for your informative posts; I guess if it quacks like a duck and walks like a duck, it still might not be an LC 1796 sword.
The man I got it from said that he purchased it in London; I know him and he tells the truth, however, he has bought so many swords, he might just have been confused . The sword looked worn to me and some aspects, such as the hilt seemed a bit off.
Based on the place of purchase, the variations, and the armory mark that looks like it could be Indian, I think that kronckew's theory of an Indian copy of an LC 1796 could be the most plausible conclusion. I will post better pictures of the hilt tomorrow.
In regards to the lion head sword, it doesn't look like paint, traces of gilding possibly or like old Confederate swords, sometimes the brass has a coppery patina(I am not suggesting that this is a Confederate sword).
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