Old Dutch hanger

[M ELEY]

Yes, I've resurrected this old sword again. Years ago, I posted some poor pics of it, but now that we have the European forum, I'm hoping perhaps to get some more info on it. Some background research-
This sword has an exact representation of it that appears in 'Swords and Hilt Weapons' B&N Books, pg 68 and also in Leslie Southwick's 'Price Guide to Antique Edged Weapons', pg 155. That example a fine museum-quality item with better detail and carved ivory hilt. That being said, I still believe that this hanger came from the same source...Singhalese, ca 1660-1700, Second Anglo-Dutch War period, probably made for the Dutch market. The book example believed to have been made for the Dutch EIC. As you can see from my example, the hilt is a seated lion with claw uplifted, guard is a hunting dog curled up, quillons are monster heads like appear on kastane. The wood appears tropical. The broad old blade with shallow double fullers and ancient brownish primer (to retard salt water rust? As found on some naval pieces?). Note the 4-dot (or is it diamond? Egg-shape?) forge mark. Also please note the wing(?) carved shapes facing each other on the hilt.
Does anyone recognise this stamp? Does anyone know what the wing carving might represent? Is there a Shri Lanken or Dutch symbol of a sitting lion I am unaware of? Perhaps a Dutch standard, flag or symbol? How about the wing pattern associated with the Dutch? EIC? Has anyone else seen a hanger like this one? Any association with the East India Company?

[M ELEY]

More pics...

[M ELEY]

And still more with details...
Note that in my searches, I came across an ancient Singhalese coin called a maneless lion coin. On it's back is a similar 4 point pattern in a cross pattern(or am I just imagining things?).

http://coins.lakdiva.org/ancient/maneless_lion.html

This coin goes back way too early for the time period of this sword, but perhaps the marking remained? Likewise, I couldn't find any evidence of one, but I've heard there is a Dutch coin called a dump that might have a similar marking dating to the 17th-18th century. Does anyone know of this coin?

[fernando]

Hi Mark

Perhaps Anandalal knows something it?
He likes to research on these things.
Why don't you PM him, to call his attention?

Fernando

[M ELEY]

Great idea, Fernando. It's worth a try, at least...

[Jim McDougall]

Hi Mark,
Im really glad you posted this as it is truly an intriguing piece, and I love a good mystery! I have been looking through some things and can offer the following as my own theory, which may be speculative, but until we hear from the experts, what I have found might serve as an operative theory.

As you have noted, the hilt is very similar to the ivory hilt example in "Swords and Hilt Weapons" (p.68) and shown as Dutch c.1660. In the same article there are a couple of other examples of these elaborate theme type hilts of Holland and North Italy of 17th century. The ivory example shown seems to have a somewhat similar lion type head but with human limbs and appears to be in the same semi-seated stance as your example. It is important to note that Ceylon was occupied by the Dutch VOC (=Vereenigde Oost Indische Compagnie) from about 1602 until taken over by British East India Co. in 1796.
The lionhead is significant to the Ceylonese (Sinhalese, sinha=lion) as their ancestry is from Prince Vijaya, and they consider themselves the 'lion people'.
This theme is seen on the well known Sinhalese sword, the kastane, and its characteristic lionhead pommel. The other features often seen are makara, semiaquatic beasts of Hindu/Buddhist mythology. The wings seen in the carving here might relate to either the garuda, or perhaps the kinnara (half man half bird).
What is most interesting is that this lionhead seems to resemble the lionhead pommels on British swords of 1770's to that of the British lionhead infantry officers sword of M1803, with the flowing mane, though closely flattened.
This does not appear to be a maneless lion.

From the 17th century there was a great deal of cross cultural diffusion in the decoration on swords, and there are Dutch swords with kastane type lionheads of 18th century, while clearly the Sinhalese craftsmen adopted themes from the European swords. Much of this diffusion related directly with the traders and diplomatic relations with the native people.

Mark, you have really carried into a most important element of research that has long been championed by Olikara and Jens, that of the importance of old coins as applied to research on weapons. Your research on these old VOC coins is excellent, and I followed your lead to the coin known as the 'dump'.

On the 1783 VOC one stuiver coin, there are two four dot rosettes in this exact configuration, and interestingly on the reverse with the date are two voluted characters which resemble perhaps Sinhalese or Tamil alphabet.
On this hilt, the two opposed figures seem temptingly similar allowing for artistic embellishment.

The adoption of simplistic symbolism from trade sword blade markings is well known and in this case, perhaps the marking from this stuiver coin, may have been presumed to imbue talismanic or amuletic power in the temporal sense by native craftsmen. The British style appearance of the lionhead may suggest this could be the work of a native carver in Ceylon about the time of the British takeover. The rosette marking may have been applied by a native craftsman on the earlier courtsword blade, and here it has been mounted on a wood carved hilt in that time.

Attached are the 1783-1793 Ceylon Dutch VOC one stuiver 'dump' coin (note four dot 'rosettes' )a VOC metal plate with similar markings.

The brown varnish on the blade may well be exactly that, as this was often applied to edged weapons in old collections.

All the best,
Jim