| 
 
			
			Tatyana your eye is very good.  A handsome weapon.  Seeing the before and after pictures I think Battara is right.  The decorated part of the handle is a white metal, I suspect it is a zinc alloy of some kind able to take braising as there appears to be a yellow line in the handle.  I also think Spiral is correct in his first opinion as to origin and age.
		 |