French hunting hanger sword, Hussar/Pandour style?

Jim McDougall · 25th February 2019, 04:25 PM

Excellent observation Ken!!! That crossguard is indeed reminiscent of a Chinese jian.
This is as noted a hirshchfanger/ hunting sword of the 18th c. and these were often with blades emblazoned with cabbalistic motif which could include a range of themes usually cosmological and or with magic and occult devices.

These were typical of these typically status oriented swords that appealed to the gentry and upper echelon....the hunt was of course much like golf is in todays executive world, a medium for gatherings of prestige.

The 'fads' of these times included often fanciful applications of occult and current fashion, and in the 18th century there was a deep attraction to things 'Oriental' . There were even Chinese artisans in East Europe, the Netherlands who were decorating weapons and their elements.

The 'Pandours' were regiments of 'Oriental' style troops of Austro_Hungary which included ethnic groups from the Balkans and Easten Europe including largely Croatians. Their exotic dress, and weaponry , was much favored by officers of cavalry where these units operated as auxiliary forces.

The appeal of their 'renegade' nature and fearsome reputation appealed to the hubris of such male fashion throughout Europe as the 'orientalized' and mysteriously emblazoned blades and fancy hilts recalled the very swords used by many Pandours.

While this intriguing example looks like many swords associated with Pandours, it is 'of the form' known to have been used, and likely copied in years following as Pandour type units became popular though the rest of the 18th century into 'FreiKorps' type units into Napoloeonic period.

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25th February 2019, 04:25 PM	#8
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,192	Excellent observation Ken!!! That crossguard is indeed reminiscent of a Chinese jian. This is as noted a hirshchfanger/ hunting sword of the 18th c. and these were often with blades emblazoned with cabbalistic motif which could include a range of themes usually cosmological and or with magic and occult devices. These were typical of these typically status oriented swords that appealed to the gentry and upper echelon....the hunt was of course much like golf is in todays executive world, a medium for gatherings of prestige. The 'fads' of these times included often fanciful applications of occult and current fashion, and in the 18th century there was a deep attraction to things 'Oriental' . There were even Chinese artisans in East Europe, the Netherlands who were decorating weapons and their elements. The 'Pandours' were regiments of 'Oriental' style troops of Austro_Hungary which included ethnic groups from the Balkans and Easten Europe including largely Croatians. Their exotic dress, and weaponry , was much favored by officers of cavalry where these units operated as auxiliary forces. The appeal of their 'renegade' nature and fearsome reputation appealed to the hubris of such male fashion throughout Europe as the 'orientalized' and mysteriously emblazoned blades and fancy hilts recalled the very swords used by many Pandours. While this intriguing example looks like many swords associated with Pandours, it is 'of the form' known to have been used, and likely copied in years following as Pandour type units became popular though the rest of the 18th century into 'FreiKorps' type units into Napoloeonic period.