Help? Antique all-metal sword, possibly Islamic symbols...

Indian hunting sword. At least, these are usually described as such, but they might be more decorative or talismanic than for hunting.

Here is a similar example: www.liveauctioneers.com/item/8673511

AFAIK, it's the engraving/etching that makes this a "hunting" sword; Indian swords that are engraved but otherwise ordinary tulwars (for example) are described as "hunting swords". So Indian hunting swords can be straight bladed, single or double edged, have tulwar hilts, hilts like yours, or other styles of hilts. But all wavy-bladed Indian swords with hilts like yours I've seen have been "hunting swords".

It isn't "ancient". If it isn't a modern decorative replica (or fake antique), it's probably 19th century or early 20th.

Two signs that it would be probably modern:

1. Uniform thickness blade. This would mean it's probably made from modern sheet metal. A blade with varying thickness doesn't mean it's old, but means it's more likely to be forged.

2. Etching rather than engraving. Etching takes less skill and time. Applies to both hilt and blade. Of course, it's possible to find an old blade with a new hilt, or a new blade with an old hilt.

So if it's engraved and tapered in thickness, it might well be old.

Other signs of modern work on Indian "antiques" are modern-style koftgari and soft steel blades (traditional blades often used very high carbon steel, about 1% or even higher).

Since the blade is bent, it might be a soft steel. I wouldn't take this as an automatic sign that it's modern, since a lot (most? almost all?) of swords like these were probably decorative rather than functional even in the 19th century. It's easier to do engraving on soft steels, so if nobody will use the sword as a weapon, why not?

A lot of European hunting swords were essentially ornaments or badges of office or rank, especially as you get into the late 19th century and 20th century, so "decorative" or "ornamental" doesn't mean modern or inauthentic. Same thing with Qajar (i.e., late Persian) "weapons".

Etching can give a lumpy finish, but the lumps are rounded, not angular. If the divots and dents are sharp-edged, then it's engraved. I can't tell from your photos.

Etched, blade thick enough for strength, tapered: no reason to suspect it's a modern replica or fake. Probably genuine 19th or early 20th century. Might even be functional.

I don't think Indian wavy-bladed swords are at all closely related to the Moro kris (or the Malay/Indonesian keris); though quite possibly they had common ancestors many centuries ago. But yes. "wavy bladed" doesn't automatically mean "decorative" rather than "functional". I've seen definitely functional Indian wavy blades, but those have been in regular tulwar hilts, and not engraved like this. There are also European examples of functional wavy blades. If it isn't sharp (or wasn't sharp before corrosion), then it's decorative. Blade hardness would be a good clue.

For the blade steel:

1. It has a high iron content for sure. Most non-stainless steels you see in blades are almost all iron, 98% and up for most, possibly as low as 96% for 9260. Even the 420 and 440 stainless steels are about 80-85% iron. But the other things in it can affect the magnetic properties a lot. Basically, how magnetic it is doesn't tell you how much iron is in it.

2. How hard it is to bend depends on the blade geometry, not the alloy. To a reasonably good approximation, all steels you will see in blades have about the same Young's modulus (or elastic modulus) which tells you how far it bends when subject to some force (for a particular geometry). (The elastic modulus will vary by some few % between alloys, but it's close to constant.) What the alloy and heat treatment affect is how far you can bend it before it fails, and how it fails (remain bent permanently or break). Trying to flex the blade doesn't tell you how hard the blade is unless you bend it far enough to take a set (i.e., stay bent) or snap.

A set of hardness testing files would do the trick, but you'd mark the blade.

Here are another couple of examples, with a different hilt style: www.thomasdelmar.com/Catalogues/ ... 0034-0.jpg from www.thomasdelmar.com/Catalogues/ ... page2.html

And a few more: www.swordforum.com/forums/showth ... -one-s-I-D and www.swordforum.com/forums/showth ... ing-Talwar

The pair at the Thomas Del Mar auction linked above sold for 420 (GBP, I assume). I've seen almost-certain fakes sell for USD300. Don't know if prices like that are normal; I don't see enough of these sell.

The corrosion will not help. The worse the condition, the worse the price, and it will probably make some potential buyers think that it's artificially aged to hide it being a modern replica.

Auction prices will let you know how much people pay. Google for keywords like "auction wavy indian sword" and you should find some. Just keep in mind that most of the ones you will see will probably be in better condition.

Why corroded? Could be a ground find.

However, a lot of antique Indian arms in the West were brought out of India by English visitors, or former residents of India, when they left. Pieces like this could have been new when first collected. If not new, in good condition when collected. In this case, corrosion comes from neglect. For example, storage in damp conditions can have it's usual wonderful effects on steel.

A lot of the "antique" Indian (and Persian, Afghan, etc.) arms recently arrived in the West are fakes. I haven't seen as many as aggressively "aged" as Chinese fakes often are, so I don't think the corrosion is big red flag saying "FAKE". I've seen tulwars in quite poor condition, from poor storage in the West.

Ah! This is a Keris (Kris in some countries). It is a type of wavy sword native to south and east Asia. This curved design was intended to slice more blood vessels as you pull the sword out of someone, making them bleed to death. Not a very nice image, but effective. Try googling Keris. You will find loads of stuff. I believe that it also had a many spiritual and religious associations, especially in the Philippines and other parts of east Asia.