CATALOGUE AUCTION
http://www.hermann-historica.de/auktion/hh...&db=kat49_A.txt


Comparing this with the originals, I have a hunch it is a repro...
http://thomaschen.freewebspace.com/custom3.html

http://chineseswords2.freewebspace.com/photo.html

Where it came from before the auction would be very important. It makes no mention of this but obviously has been in someones posession before now.
The reputation of the auction house and the 'provenance' in the dealership sense needs factoring in.
It isnt really my area of weapons so no way of knowing either way.
A buyer would need some good assurances of authenticity before purchasing it, and if he/she has the cash then a few independant opinions and laboratory tests should be par-for-the-course too.
Pretty flash object to hang on the wall anyway!

Great pictures.

Dear Thomas,

I tried to contact you directly several times but in vain.

I get a question regarding the swords - when did the round guard appear in China first?

And one more question: here in Russia we get some samples of Qing weapon and there are some specimen without any guards. They were in usage in Buryatiya (a region near the lake of Baikal inhabited by Buryad - a tribe of Mongolorigin) in XIX. Nothing of Russian styled weapon coud be traced in these sabers. What could it be?

Best regards,

Alexey.

The round guard first appeared in the Tang .... I will be contacting you shortly...


Altaica Militarica, For your reference...
http://www.chinahistoryforum.com/index.php?showtopic=235