European Hunting Sword For Comment
 

I am posting this for a friend who just picked this up from a well known dealer. The dealer claims this sword is circa 1770? Comments welcome.

Hi Lew. I'm thinking it's more likely an early to mid-19th century hanger based on the straight plain quillons and lack of a shell guard. By no means did all hangers of the 18th have said guards, but all of the details of this piece say later to me. Likewise, the brass doesn't have a ton of patina. My 2 cents...

M ELEY

I find it interesting that there is no makers mark. Funny my friend mentioned that it seems someone cleaned off all the patina. I also thought this was mid 19th century.

Hullo Lew,

..... it brings to mind a cross between a European hunting shortsword of the 1700's-1800's and an 1870's infantry shortsword.....

Here are some links which may be of use:
http://www.antiquefirearms.com/pages/821.htm
http://www.painemilitaryantiques.com/catagory/swords/
http://swordlinks.com/courtswords/p29.html
http://historica-arma.de/4.html

Best,

It should be remembered that in these times hunting was traditionally the sport of the gentry and nobility, and in the 17th to earlier 19th centuries, hunting hangers were typically embellished accordingly. The lack of detail or style in the elements of this hilt in the casting suggests it is simply a much more modern interpretation of the 'form'.

The lack of fullers, the simplistic blade shape and indeed lack of deeply stamped markings indeed signals this to be likely the case. Markings were typically stamped, and would not have been removed with the stated 'removal of patina', unless done with a grinding wheel.

These type 'hangers' were being produced well into the 20th century. The shellguard was a typical embellishment of 17th into 19th century, but not necessarily always present.