Hi Richard,
Im sorry I didnt add the marks, I guess I had gotten complacent after the discussions we recently had on them and simply forgot to include examples.
The EIC as noted used the quartered heart, typically surmounted by a 4 (which was actually a disguised cross, issued with the heart in place of the 'orb' with reference to the cross and orb symbol ). In Bengal it seems that the 'flaunched' style heart using that heraldic feature became popular. Both were supplanted by the rampant lion around 1808.....but as noted, these did not end appearance as Indian makers still copied the stamps.
It is interesting to note that the 'V' in the acronym actually stands for 'united', not 'venerable' as is often assumed. In those days the U was written as a V.
As you have noted, by 1858, the East India Company had given way to the British government in its dominion of India.
The marking you show here seems much more modern and of commercial trademark style, and the EIC never used such a marking as far as I know. Also, as I mentioned, they did not mark weapons with thier markings except for the guns and bayonets.
It is well known that in India, armourers characteristically tried to imitate European markings and inscriptions to allude to the quality of thier products.
Often these intrepretations have produced somewhat humorous arrangements of unintelligible psuedo inscriptions, but this seems perhaps a marking of commercial nature. In India there were often instances where commercial entities had guards or security forces issued weapons, for example many swords of British M1853 pattern were made by a firm called Rodwell & Co. for a railroad (Baroda or something if memory serves).
I hope this helps Richard, and again really great to have you back!!! Please keep finding these intriguing tulwars!!! Since that one you restored I always think of you as 'a tulwars best friend' !!!
All the very best,
Jim