What language is the writing on the hilt of this sword?
 

Thank you!

Looks arabic to me. You better post pictures of the complete sword. Maybe one of the forumites will translate it for you. But the reward for a translation is pictures of the complete sword :D

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Could it be Turkish (which at an earlier time used Arabic script)? Towards the end of the empire they also used western style swords.

Well observed Jose!!
In the later 19th century, British sword makers often supplied various foreign powers with military swords, including the Ottomans, and this 'gothic' style milirary pattern was one frequently used.

Best regards,
Jim

("European Armoury" forum, a subforum here :)

Hi
probably Turkish, not Arabic :p
even it's the same alphabet :shrug:

à +

Dom

Hi,
I cannot read it, so it can't be Turkish :D (just joking)
Seriously I don't know, can it be Persian or even Urdu? :shrug:

Doesn't the blade have Indian ricasso?
If so, it is likely to be one of the peri-Indian Arabic-based languages.

Now theres an astute observation Ariel!!! I hadnt even noticed that, and that along with Zifir's suggestion of Urdu makes Indian attribution more feasible.
This is clearly a representation of the 'gothic' style military hilts of Great Britain, which I believe were among the many forms of British military swords copied for native regiments during the Raj.
While most 'colonial' type swords were produced in England to be sent to supply regiments, it seems these and most weapons for that purpose had the 'ISD' stamp. The weapons produced or furbished in the subcontract armouries apparantly did not carry this stamp, and there were many units that were essentially privately raised by commercial interests such as railways etc. These were basically police type units.

It would be great to find out what this inscription says!!!

All best regards,
Jim