Interesting saber

[Gustav]

Is that a fuller running across the blade?
I have my doubts regarding the blade and age of koftgari(?) on it.

[milandro]

I don't see any fuller, it may be a trick of the eye due to reflection.

What makes you think that the blade is not contemporary to the sabre? Mounting a new blade onto this would have been a very tricky thing to do and would have certainly left noticeable marks

[Gustav]

I recognize a fuller at the blade section with koftgari through a reflection, and I see a similar reflection further down the blade.

More pics of the blade could help.

[Jim McDougall]

This is a nice example of the standard M1827 sword for Royal British naval officers, which remained in use through the 19th c. into the 20th. The more modern examples have much lighter blades as introduced in 1929.

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.

British officers in colonial regions often adopted influences of the local cultures in arms and fashion, so this kind of cross diffusion is not unusual.
In India there were Indian hilts on British blades, and sometimes vice versa.
There is also the possibility of this sword being intended as a diplomatic gift.
This blade is British and certainly not Ottoman nor Indian, and there is no reason to think it is not homogenous to this sword.

[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?

[Jim McDougall]

Originally Posted by Gustav

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

Well that complicates things doesnt it? In Arabia Persian blades were most highly regarded, but this blade is hardly Persian nor is the sword obviously. So the koftgari is the only 'work' pertaining to this individual. Not sure why a British naval sword would be in Tehran, unless the blade was of other than British manufacture, went through Tehran, then through the gulf into Arabia etc.
It seems Wilkinson produced the entire sword with officers swords, and perhaps they had blades decorated there? Then possibly the Aden idea leaves the equation.

[Gustav]

Jim, what was given in the translation provided by auction house is

"The work of Ustada Husayn in the blessed armoury(?)... Tehran"
"amal-i ustad husayn / dar jaba-kha(na)-yi? mubaraka... Tahra"

Who knows how precise the reading and translation is.

[Jim McDougall]

Originally Posted by Gustav

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

How did you get the auction house information? It might have been helpful if this had been included in the OP, or anywhere rather than the guessing game . While ratiocination is entertaining, the available information included WITH the query gives us a better idea of which way to go in trying to answer.

[Gustav]

I got it simply by searching.

Actually I have nothing more to say as I already did in #7 - I have my doubts regarding the blade and age of koftgari(?) on it. It is as far from my area of interest in edged weapons as NP from SP.

I asked a question if there is a fuller running across the blade. Now I also would ask, if it is common for Wilkinson swords, where the blade is homogenous to the sword, with no reasons against that fact, to have such an opening at blade/hilt joint. I would also ask, if such a flaw running across the blade is acceptable on a sword blade made by Wilkinson.

Is there a possibility this koftgari is recently refurbished or, let's say, repainted, or perhaps, even recently created? I think there is.

I do not have a nice story with geographical locations included for it - this sword raises only questions to me.

The auction house put it on auction twice, it was bought at the second time, it was sold under the estimate. The auction house did not post a picture of the entire blade, only hilt and the koftgari part. So I repeat - it would be interesting to have more pics of it, particularly of the part where koftgari ends till the point.