A.A. Gholam Jeelan, Sialkot Indian Sword

[Jim McDougall]

Great example of a cavalry sabre of the British Raj, and the native cavalry regiments typically were able to select their favored patterns, and the M1796 sabre blade remained thus favored through the century (I have even seen these produced as late as 1880s and used in India into 1930s). One of these belonged to the late Brigadier Francis Ingall, author of "Last of the Bengal Lancers" who led one of the last mounted cavalry charges on the Khyber plains in the 1930s.

The M1853 cavalry sword was also a select pattern chosen by a number of the units, and this may be one of those, probably end of 19th c. early 20th.
There were also variations of the M1853 produced in India privately for various paramilitary and security forces, one was if I recall Baroda Railway Co. and the maker was Rodwell & Co.
This may parallel this sword as far as period etc.

Interestingly Sialkot was a key administrative region in the Northwest Frontier connected with Punjab, thus perhaps military connection to Sikh units, however in this case there should be the usual acceptance stamps.
Regarding the private use, there was also a railway company through Sialkot and to Waziristan, definitely one of the more 'volatile' areas of the Raj, so this may be to a levy or force connected in that capacity.

The history of the British Raj in these areas is in my view of the most colorful and exciting history, from which came the great literature such as Kipling, "King of the Khyber Rifles", " and others!