A composite mystery to me.

[A. G. Maisey]

Sorry Gavin, I've already got rid of it, but all I did was a bit of light and contrast adjustment + curves + the unsharp mask. It did make it a little easier to see the entire picture.

[mariusgmioc]

Now a novice's oppinion:

The blade appears to be very old and the engravings don't add too much to the "commercial" aspect of the blade.

So, my guess is they are talismanic.

PS: I said that the blade APPEARS to be very old because I believe with this type of blades it is rather easy to age them and make them look ancient.

[A. G. Maisey]

Marius, it is not difficult to create a textured surface on a new blade, but it is extremely difficult, perhaps impossible to create an entire blade that can pass as something from a much earlier time.

The appearance of Gavin's blade is, to my eye, representative of something that pre-dates any recent or current practices used in the false aging of a blade.

In other words it is in my opinion old, "old" in this case meaning pre-mid 19th century, and I'm being rather conservative here.

[mariusgmioc]

Originally Posted by A. G. Maisey

Marius, it is not difficult to create a textured surface on a new blade, but it is extremely difficult, perhaps impossible to create an entire blade that can pass as something from a much earlier time.

The appearance of Gavin's blade is, to my eye, representative of something that pre-dates any recent or current practices used in the false aging of a blade.

In other words it is in my opinion old, "old" in this case meaning pre-mid 19th century, and I'm being rather conservative here.

My oppinion too, but I was too unsure to make a bolder statement.