New arrival -- Pulwar from Afghanistan...
 

...by way of Germany, so it's been on a bit of a journey. 4 1/2" hilt, blade is 29" in straight line from quillions to tip, quillions 4 1/8" wide, blade is 1 5/16" wide at hilt, 5/16" thick at spine.

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL151.../234863017.jpg

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL151.../234863029.jpg

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL151.../234863026.jpg

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL151.../234863022.jpg

Blade is clean except for a few spots ofactive rust along the cutting edge that I will carefully remove to prevent any further deterioration. Whoever did the polish/etch on this did a really nice job of bringing up the pattern without over-polishing the blade. Never really understood the expression "watered" steel before, but the pattern weld on some of these blades really does look like running water...

So, any opinions from the experts? Was the seller accurate in attributing this to Afghanistan, and any guesses as to approx. age?

Afghanistan is right, Indian pattern weld blade 19th century chiselling on basket will pop out more if you clean it

It actually looks better in person; I don't have the best camera in the world, nor the best photographic skills. Here are a couple of other shots of the hilt. There are also faint traces of the gold koftgari that once decorated it, but they'r almost nonexistent.

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL151.../237005889.jpg

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL151.../237005882.jpg

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL151.../237005886.jpg

that is probally brass were the piece was welded together. As a general rule you will not see gold on afghan pieces.

Ah, that makes more sense; it didn't really look like the sort of traces that old koftgari leaves, but I couldn't think of what else it might be. Thanks!

Congratulations, Fenris. :) That's a very nice sword. I love the patina on that handle; contrasts very nicely with the blade.