Real or copy? Judge / Rule Sword

[katana]

A true executioner's sword would tend to have two characteristics....usually the hilt would be two handed (for better control) and the blade 'tip heavy' to give the blade more momentum in a down ward stroke. You could also argue that the crossguard would be an unecessary addition.

I firmly believe that the blade has been re-mounted, the additional picture you have posted shows the cleaned area more clearly.(perhaps , also reworked to fit the crossguard ) Could this be another Victorian marriage , but this does not necessarily mean that both blade and hilt are not pre-victorian though.

Regards David