Keith, I wish I had good tips on conservation but I seldom do much cleaning etc except for WD40 to stabiliize and perhaps some very fine steel wool. Easy does it as you dont want to compromise any existing marks. For some reason I thought you had seen the Hernandez punzone at the ricasso as per Palomares.
As mentioned, I have always thought that his punzone was not copied on German blades.
While the Germans did adopt the the multi bar 'anchor' (much like somewhat exaggerated cross of Lorraine) the character of the anchor on this blade seems to me in accord with those on earlier Spanish rapier blades as noted.
For me, everything so far with this blade suggests it is indeed Spanish, and incarnated with an early 17th century English cavalier rapier hilt, as was very much in vogue then, remarkable!
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