I have often wondered about the use of nuanced stylistic differences in dating and/or attributing these to a given nation... As I understand it, the "acorn" quillon terminals usually denotes an earlier example, though I wouldn't consider the one you show above to be an acorn terminal.
Note the difference in the treatment of the ribs and backstrap in the casting of the two hilts you show. I have one similar to the top one in your photo. Like yours, mine also appears to be pinned with brass/bronze/coper through the grip.
I wish someone would conduct a formal study on these - they were produced for well over a hundred years by so many countries that identifying each and every variant is seemingly impossible...
