Help Identify this Sword

[Tom]

First, hope I put this in the right section.

I know nothing about swords so I'm just guessing here as to what this sword is.

The history of the sword is;
About 40 or more years ago my father came home with this wet muddy sword and pommel (?)
He washed it off with a water hose and wiped down, it was in remarkable shape under the Pocomoke river mud.

He (my father) had found this sword in the black sticky mud at a very low tide on the banks of the Pocomoke river.

I have searched the www and I can't find anything on it, a friend found a similar picture but not exact, he then referred me to this site.

the markings on the sword are as follow:
on the blade is a design then initials?
<<<((( D.O. S.R. )))>>> not those designs of course, that's a layout of how it's etched (?) those initials and design look to be raised.

then up close to the handle (?) on the upper end of the blade is a oval shape with the following letter engraved around the oval.
FR. NEEEF SOHNE SOLINGER

this is the oval with the above words
http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m...MVC-016S-4.jpg
http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m...MVC-014S-3.jpg

both sides of this tip look the same
http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m...MVC-011S-5.jpg

this is where the initials with the design on each end of the initials lay on the blade
http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m...MVC-009S-5.jpg

the number 77 stamped in here

http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m...MVC-008S-4.jpg

http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m...MVC-007S-6.jpg

http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m...MVC-006S-8.jpg

http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m...VC-005S-11.jpg

http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m...MVC-002S-9.jpg