The over-all shape and design is Chinese/Southern Chinese... but... the designs/lines on it are just very different than all the others I have seen. The lines on and quality of the fittings looks different even if the shape is like the rest...
The short area on the blade leading up to the humps on the top and bottom of the blade are concave too, which is odd, normally they go straight from the guard diagonally towards the apex of the hump, and then taper down to the point.
Where did you get it? Could it have been a blade made in America for a highbinder? Or maybe a Han ethnic in SE Asia who ordered this style of blade from a local/native craftsman?
