[Gustav]

Originally Posted by Jim McDougall

It seems the blade likely is with Ottoman affectation and gilt with inscription probably for a naval officer perhaps affiliated with the Royal Naval base at Aden, in Arabia. This was an active naval port and entrepot charged with control of Aden to the Hadhramaut to the east in Yemen. This port and station became key after the opening of the Suez canal in 1869, and remained so until 1960s.

Wilkinson was of course a London maker specializing in officers swords which were indeed serial numbered, but also supplied these to military outfitters, which often existed in these colonial outposts. As Aden was officially part of the Bombay Presidency, such an outfitter may have been in Bombay, or indeed in Aden, whichever the case, the Ottoman presence and influence was at hand.

This blade is British and certainly not Ottoman nor Indian, and there is no reason to think it is not homogenous to this sword.

Well, the Koftgari(?) appears to claim, according to auction house, it is a work of Ustad Husayn from Tehran?