Tulwar/Talwar regimental codes?

[Jim McDougall]

Originally Posted by David R

Not at all, even antiques could end up with numbers stamped on them... One of the more irritating things that happen to items exported after independence. Bloody big numbers and codes stamped onto the breech of a musket for the most part.

Hi David,
This is both interesting, and horrifying. Where does this happen, and under what circumstances? I know that China, along with many countries, forbids the export of antiquities, though of course there is brisk activity in the less than legal traffic in them. It does not seem such marking would happen in that case.

With firearms I can somewhat understand such marking from the standpoint of checking for safety etc. but in other types of antiquities, including swords and other arms, I cannot see the purpose. Naturally as I am not a gun collector or shooter I am asking just for clarification.