Please help witha European blade in a Japanese tachi mount

[Jim McDougall]

In keeping with Philips resoundingly astute suggestion of a Korean attribution here with this fascinating saber, I wanted to add some notes that I have come up with which might be salient in this consideration.

Until the arrival of Perry in 1854, Japan was indeed isolated as far as trade etc. with the world, however, the single inroad was the Dutch (former VOC) entrepot at Dejima Island (off coast of Nagasaki). Here trade with the west transpired into the East Indies networks.
This is a possible entry for a blade of German form of these '1796' types and as noted with Solingen or Dutch production, into possible Japanese context.

As Great Britain was of course quite colonially present in Hong Kong and other Chinese locations near mid century of course, there are possibilities for such British blades to have filtered into these same trade networks.
I would note here that I have seen (but no longer have images) of a complete M1796 British M1796 heavy cavalry sword with Chinese markings on the hilt, which was I believe among captured arms during the "Boxer Rebellion' (1900).

With this motif of clouds and dragons etc. on the scabbard, it seems that such decoration (in European favor with the Oriental styles I mentioned before used with these types of decoration) is seen on some Chinese weapons.

However, those styles of China seem like, as mentioned, may have made it into Korea as well.

I have a Korean 'peadao' (if I am correct on term) which as Philip has noted, would fall largely into the 'munitions' grade Korean arms made in mid 19thc possibly earlier. In this case, while the pommel cap and tsuba are quite simple, the grip is indeed wrapped and there is a habaki.
If I have understood correctly , after the Japanese take over in 1910, most Korean swords were destroyed.

I think there is a good case for this being a Korean use of this blade, whether British or German (I still feel it is British), and very likely c. mid century or slightly later. I think the cross on the reverse of the hilt is notably significant as well, considering the missionary circumstances in both China and Korea.