Did someone say history?
Yes, this is a great example of the munitions grade basket hilts issued to some of the Highland Regiments of the British army in mid 18th c. among them the "Black Watch".
This is a standard type hilt which appears to be of the crude type produced by Nathaniel Jeffries and Dru Drury of London, though it is possible Harvey and perhaps Dawes of Birmingham 'may' have produced some later. ]
The pommel capstan style here is consistent with the Drury examples, and though he worked as partner with Jeffries the pommel capstan differences are virtually the only distinguishing thing apparent.
According to information from "Swords for the Highland Regiments 1757-1784" Anthony Darling, 1988.
It seems though that most of these swords were produced in 1770s ending in 1784 (by Drury by then) when privates in infantry ceased carrying swords.
The 'Black Watch' was basically a unit of 'watch' companies ordered in 1725 by George I to patrol the Highlands clans and enforce the proscription of arms, and any sort of 'disturbances'. There were originally 6 with 4 more added later. The term 'Black Watch' was of course never used until Victorian times, until then they were 42nd Highland Regiment (the 43rd until 1749).
Darling indicates that there were independent companies of Highlanders previous to this organizing and that they carried basket hilts they had supplied personally, whether any distinct form unknown.
By 1759, it is noted that it was ordered that swords issued to privates were to be 'lettered and numbered', ("Soldiers in America" Don Troiani), for example (in this case the Highland Regiment 42/A/35) thus
A=first company; 42=Highland Regiment; 35= private #35.
The first company battalions were letters A through K; the second K-Z (?)
It does not indicate however where these were marked. Typically it seems the guard was the field for such administrative marks.
Also the blades, it seems typically German, were stamped with crown over GR. Jeffries and Drury usually marked their name on the blades.
While these style hilts are shown in "Scottish Swords from the Battlefield at Culloden" (Mowbray, 1971) a transcript of the Lord Campbell work of 1894, these are two of these type, but only presumed to be from Culloden. There is no evidence these are actually from the battle, and these hilts do not seem to have been that early (1746).
I have one of these (attached) which has been remounted with a M1788 light cavalry saber blade, and I have seen two others over the past 4 decades also with such blades. It would appear that a number of these which had been placed in stores were remounted, reason or distribution unknown, but with these blades becoming the type known with Scots as 'turcael' (with curved blade).
The other pic is a British dragoon basket hilt with number on pommel, same period, so it would seem the pommel was in cases a proper location, and quite likely in field application. Pommels were easily changed out so it seems to make sense with issued weapons.