Original Civil war swords are still on the market not rebuilt. But today using new, fake or altered  swords has become a very common practice. Buying 2 or 3 junkers to get enough parts to assemble one or two swords and many of these swords make it to the net. Make no mistake !!! This is a becoming a very common practice and it is getting worse. They are also building CW supposed to be fighting knives from  civilian cutlery found on the net from the old knives and forks section and old hunting knives. Ask your seller for a lifetime gurantee, of originality stated as such~original of the period for ever~. A Professional dealer has no problem making such a statement. Scabbards are now being completely hand made for Confederate swords and while they are being sold completely as reproductions, it may not be the intent of buyer. Fake Inscriptions are also added to scabbard throats and some swords have blades etched with famous units on them.these are getting better to unwary  buyers all the time. These facts can be left out of the description. Grips are rewrapped with new leather and new wire. New leather will smell like new leather old leather rarely has any smell from the tanning process. So some use old leather book bindings to avoid this instant give away. A close inspection of where the leather meets on the handle is a quick red flag. Originals are very well formed with no real seam  raised where the wire is wrapped. The original leather was very thin. Today it is thicker and you can feel this seam and see it easily. The blades tang once mounted on originals are normally very smooth steel with an even iron patina even with a ding on it still will be nicely formed, so look and feel for burrs on the edge on the tang metal again easy to feel as a sharp edge where the tang comes through the pommel cap. While this can also be due to the leather washer missing on the bottom of the guard and someone has tried to tighten a loose handle perhaps deacades ago look over the sword and see if it matches the general condition of the sword. This can be acceptable if former statemnt is met.  Last because it is described as civil war does not make it such. One over used term is the pattern 1852 US Navy sword . The blade and scabbard should be as wide as Foot officers sword model 1850. The US Navy began using much thinner blades following the Civil war more along the size of 1872 US sword blades . Today it is still referenced as US Navy sword pattern of 1852. I have seen may being sold as wartime blades even though they did not exist in the narrower blade until much later. This subject is very broad and I have only touched a very few points there are more. Such as chemical ageing steel and brass. Ask a Professional Full time dealer not your uncle that reads Civil war books and knows about the battles inside and out. We also recommend arming yourself with top drawer books they are expensive but always pay for themselves. Last support your local civil war show it is great chance to meet and see untouched all original attic condtion swords and the others those swords that have been enhanced in every possible way to make them sell.. There is nothing better than a good understanding of your collecting hobby. I wish you good luck and success collecting and Remember there is always more to learn.