Here is another posting in a series of articles looking at some of my favourite antique swords…
Over the years, I have come across thousands of unusual and interesting swords and I thought that it would be good to share with you some of the best. They don’t come in any particular order of merit but check back often as I will be adding more on a regular basis.
Background
This is a very attractive late-17th Century English silver-hilted hanger and is typical of a type that came into vague towards the end of the century and was carried by both infantry and naval officers. In recent years, it has been most associated with English naval officers as we see a number of these swords depicted in contemporary paintings of English naval officers.
Hilt style
The hallmarked silver hilt has a D-guard knucklebow that is decorated with baroque style figures. The pommel is heavily decorated with chrubic heads and this theme is continued at the quillon finials.
Blade
The blade is flat-backed, slightly curved and with no fuller(s). It is also heavily impressed to both sides with a half moon armourer’s stamp. It is likely that the blade is German (Solingen) in origin as many blades were imported into England at this time where they would have been attached to English-made hilts.
© Musings on my Favourite Antique Swords #2 article by Harvey Withers – harveywithers.com
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