Earl
... Unfortunately there is no record of a Rotherwood Arsenal or Rotherwood Iron Works doing any arms contract work, purchases from, or even being in existance in the 1860's.

A host of various pattern bladed items surfacing in the last decade or two bearing these identity marks, or variation thereof. Copies of common patterns such as a foot officer sword, cavalry swords, bowie knives etc. Usually a small arms maker might get a contract to provide a given number of a given type of weapon, not usually a full wide array of different ones, from an unknown maker. Which generally makes it quickly suspect.

Unlike today, Confederate made goods rarely would have the makers mark, less some of the bigger guys. Much less having a date or "CSA" on them. A common habit with fakers and a red flag for most. They might select some ambigous but period sounding makers name. Proclaim it to be confederate and super rare. Heavily adorn it with assorted markings such as dates, CSA etc. Rarely such found on originals. Also commonly found on many of these is the inclusion of a rank and initials of a reported owner... not a full name or unit that could actually be researched upon... just initials... ie: "Lt W.N", etc...

These may have started to surface associated around the 1960-70 era... at first thought to be reenactment reproductions. However many popped up in the last 10-15 years found with all these markings simular in nature. The extensive effort put forth to make them look aged (something reenactor use generally doesnt do) tends to lean towards intentional efforts to try to produce fakes. Because something looks crude, old, or has a date stamped on it doesnt confirm that it actually is. "Rotherwood" anything has been classed in the modern fakes catagory.

Frederick