Markings on a Chinese sword?

kino · 19th January 2016, 12:49 AM

Was this etched marking done by a westerner or is it original to the blade?
It either "SSD" or "550"

Thanks in advance for your help.

Helleri · 19th January 2016, 12:56 AM

Not trying to make things more difficult. But have you considered that it may be SSII, as well?

Peter Dekker · 19th January 2016, 04:50 PM

Interesting thing! I've had a very similar one years ago, also with a similar marking and the same closed curl on the dorsal quillon.

I bought it when I was living in Beijing, the collector who sold it to me said it were Guomintang military markings, but I've never been able to verify this.

See attached a picture of the one I had.

Timo Nieminen · 19th January 2016, 09:14 PM

The guards on these look like they're recycled from a Western-style military sword. I don't know any candidates for a donor.

kino · 20th January 2016, 05:22 AM

Helleri, "SSII", is a possibility.

Peter, thanks for posting the photo. It provides a probability that the etching is original to the blade.

19th January 2016, 12:49 AM	#1
kino Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 1,003	Markings on a Chinese sword? Was this etched marking done by a westerner or is it original to the blade? It either "SSD" or "550" Thanks in advance for your help. Attached Images

19th January 2016, 04:50 PM	#3
Peter Dekker Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Kingdom of the Netherlands Posts: 63	Interesting thing! I've had a very similar one years ago, also with a similar marking and the same closed curl on the dorsal quillon. I bought it when I was living in Beijing, the collector who sold it to me said it were Guomintang military markings, but I've never been able to verify this. See attached a picture of the one I had. Attached Images

19th January 2016, 12:56 AM	#2
Helleri Member Join Date: Jan 2016 Location: Chino, CA. Posts: 219	Not trying to make things more difficult. But have you considered that it may be SSII, as well?

19th January 2016, 09:14 PM	#4
Timo Nieminen Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Posts: 422	The guards on these look like they're recycled from a Western-style military sword. I don't know any candidates for a donor.

20th January 2016, 05:22 AM	#5
kino Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 1,003	Helleri, "SSII", is a possibility. Peter, thanks for posting the photo. It provides a probability that the etching is original to the blade.