Austrian hussar sabre for ID

Victrix · 13th April 2017, 06:49 PM

This is believed to be a mid 18thC Austrian hussar sabre. I wonder if someone is able to give me more information about it; where it might have been used and by whom? The hilt and scabbard metal parts are all brass. The tang end on the pommel is covered by an almond shaped brass plaque. There's a hole in the grip for a cord to tie around the wrist. The blade is quite elastic (not stiff, rigid) and worn. It's got a shallow fuller on each side. On one side can be seen the remains of inscriptions of a star in between two suns and further out I think there's a faint large man in the moon. The scabbard is made of wood with black leather and brass covering. The sword is overall approximately 87cm long. I cleaned the brass which was very dirty and had green oxidation on parts.

Many thanks for any feedback!

Jim McDougall · 13th April 2017, 09:04 PM

18th century Austrian officers sabre around 1750-60s as noted.....beautiful example!! Need to check Wagner and others for more.
The usual astral motif.

Victrix · 13th April 2017, 09:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim McDougall

18th century Austrian officers sabre around 1750-60s as noted.....beautiful example!! Need to check Wagner and others for more.
The usual astral motif.

Many thanks for your kind comments, Jim.

Jim McDougall · 13th April 2017, 10:45 PM

Victrix, I had hoped to add more, but now realize that these resources are not presently at hand here in the bookmobile! I know that these are pictured in the huge Wagner volume (1967), and the paperback by Moudry on Hapsburg swords.
Sabres of this form and styling (yours is a wonderfully wide blade) are known distinctly as Austrian of the 18th c. and used by hussars. There are so many campaigns and wars in the Continent in which these saw use it is hard to say.
War of the Polish Succession (1733-38; Russo-Turk War (1735-39); and most importantly War of Austrian Succession (1740-48.....then war against Prussia.
A sabre remarkably similar in mounts (brass with scabbard openings) was used by the well known Count Hadik von Futak ( Andreas Graf Hadik)...a notorious pain in Frederick the Great's 'you know what'!

These blade decorating motifs were well known through the 18th century and it seems many of these blades were from centers in Styria, as well as of course Solingen.
Maybe others will have these references at hand, but this is what I can recall offhand.
Incredibly stunning example!

Victrix · 13th April 2017, 11:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim McDougall

Victrix, I had hoped to add more, but now realize that these resources are not presently at hand here in the bookmobile! I know that these are pictured in the huge Wagner volume (1967), and the paperback by Moudry on Hapsburg swords.
Sabres of this form and styling (yours is a wonderfully wide blade) are known distinctly as Austrian of the 18th c. and used by hussars. There are so many campaigns and wars in the Continent in which these saw use it is hard to say.
War of the Polish Succession (1733-38; Russo-Turk War (1735-39); and most importantly War of Austrian Succession (1740-48.....then war against Prussia.
A sabre remarkably similar in mounts (brass with scabbard openings) was used by the well known Count Hadik von Futak ( Andreas Graf Hadik)...a notorious pain in Frederick the Great's 'you know what'!

These blade decorating motifs were well known through the 18th century and it seems many of these blades were from centers in Styria, as well as of course Solingen.
Maybe others will have these references at hand, but this is what I can recall offhand.
Incredibly stunning example!

Yes thank you once again, Jim. I don't have Moudry's book unfortunately, but this sabre looks similar to the one on p.402 in Wagner's book but without the FRINGIA inscription. The blade might have had this inscription once, but it's now quite worn as mentioned previously.

I heard about the exploits of Count Hadik when I was in Budapest (their National Museum is highly recommended, by the way!). King Frederick was so humiliated that he allegedly refused to speak to Hadik after that.

Jim McDougall · 14th April 2017, 01:37 AM

I will try to get hold of the Moudry book, but think it will simply conform to what Wagner had. The FRINGIA inscriptions I think were on Styrian blades, and I agree these were shallowly inscribed so may have worn off or become indiscernible over this long.

The Austrian swords were the key influence for British military swords in the last part of the 18th century, as LeMarchant was attached to their units in Flanders on campaign in I think 1770s. In any case, the heavy cavalry pallasch was influenced by their M1769 sword....the light cavalry sabres by their sabres of that period . These became the M1796 heavy and light cavalry regulation swords.

The British M1788 sabre had influences from these East European sabres as well, and the open panel scabbard was distinctively present in these British examples.

Lots of history in this sword, and interesting note on the rancor by Frederick toward Hadik!

13th April 2017, 06:49 PM	#1
Victrix Member Join Date: Apr 2017 Location: Sweden Posts: 695	Austrian hussar sabre for ID This is believed to be a mid 18thC Austrian hussar sabre. I wonder if someone is able to give me more information about it; where it might have been used and by whom? The hilt and scabbard metal parts are all brass. The tang end on the pommel is covered by an almond shaped brass plaque. There's a hole in the grip for a cord to tie around the wrist. The blade is quite elastic (not stiff, rigid) and worn. It's got a shallow fuller on each side. On one side can be seen the remains of inscriptions of a star in between two suns and further out I think there's a faint large man in the moon. The scabbard is made of wood with black leather and brass covering. The sword is overall approximately 87cm long. I cleaned the brass which was very dirty and had green oxidation on parts. Many thanks for any feedback! Attached Images

13th April 2017, 09:04 PM	#2
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 9,938	18th century Austrian officers sabre around 1750-60s as noted.....beautiful example!! Need to check Wagner and others for more. The usual astral motif.

13th April 2017, 10:45 PM	#4
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 9,938	Victrix, I had hoped to add more, but now realize that these resources are not presently at hand here in the bookmobile! I know that these are pictured in the huge Wagner volume (1967), and the paperback by Moudry on Hapsburg swords. Sabres of this form and styling (yours is a wonderfully wide blade) are known distinctly as Austrian of the 18th c. and used by hussars. There are so many campaigns and wars in the Continent in which these saw use it is hard to say. War of the Polish Succession (1733-38; Russo-Turk War (1735-39); and most importantly War of Austrian Succession (1740-48.....then war against Prussia. A sabre remarkably similar in mounts (brass with scabbard openings) was used by the well known Count Hadik von Futak ( Andreas Graf Hadik)...a notorious pain in Frederick the Great's 'you know what'! These blade decorating motifs were well known through the 18th century and it seems many of these blades were from centers in Styria, as well as of course Solingen. Maybe others will have these references at hand, but this is what I can recall offhand. Incredibly stunning example!

14th April 2017, 01:37 AM	#6
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 9,938	I will try to get hold of the Moudry book, but think it will simply conform to what Wagner had. The FRINGIA inscriptions I think were on Styrian blades, and I agree these were shallowly inscribed so may have worn off or become indiscernible over this long. The Austrian swords were the key influence for British military swords in the last part of the 18th century, as LeMarchant was attached to their units in Flanders on campaign in I think 1770s. In any case, the heavy cavalry pallasch was influenced by their M1769 sword....the light cavalry sabres by their sabres of that period . These became the M1796 heavy and light cavalry regulation swords. The British M1788 sabre had influences from these East European sabres as well, and the open panel scabbard was distinctively present in these British examples. Lots of history in this sword, and interesting note on the rancor by Frederick toward Hadik!