Old short sword

[Multumesc]

:) Dear fellow forum, I put some pictures with a sword and want to know in what time is and the part of Europa.Sword measures 72cm. Thank you. :shrug:

http://i44.tinypic.com/2cmu9og.jpghttp://i43.tinypic.com/25g9ru0.jpghttp://i41.tinypic.com/o0xbox.jpghttp://i43.tinypic.com/fbickk.jpg

[fernando]

Very nice.
A XVIII century German hunting sword?

[Henk]

I agree with Fernando.

A so called Hirschfanger.

[SERGIU]

end 18 th -beginning 19 th century hirschfanger,hunting sword carried by noblemen to prove courage by giving the wounded animal the coup de grace.Sometimes used also as dress sword during meetings and feasts.This one surely had a double scabbard to contain also a little knife or a fork, used to eat by the fire on the field after a good hunt .pofta buna!

[Multumesc]

In the past, hunting swords were used in wars? :shrug: :shrug: :)


http://i44.tinypic.com/213m7w3.jpg

[Henk]

No, these weapons were used during huntingparties.

[M ELEY]

Hangers were popular weapons not only for the hunt, but also as infantry and naval swords. There are many, many examples of plain, straight and curve-bladed hangers with shell-type guards in the literature (Boarders Away, Naval Swords by Annis, May's Naval Weapons, Vol I & II). If you look up "Roc the Brazillian" and "l'Olonnais", you will see much earlier examples of hunting hangers which went to sea.

That being said, not ALL hangers were battle swords. Examples with highly decorative hilts, figured hilts with hoof finials, blades etched with hunting scenes/stags/powder horns/snared rabbits, etc and those with obvious mottos ("In Treu Feist" comes to mind) were strictly hunting implements.

Naval and infantry examples would have been extremely plain. Naval examples frequently had brass hilts (don't rust with sea air), plain, short blades that allowed for more room to jab/swing on crowded/tight ships decks, and possibly nautical decorations, such as anchors, sea shells, etched ships, fish, etc. Even then, it might be hard to prove they are naval without some provenance. What can be said is that they are "associated" with naval weaponry.

All that being said, yours is a very nice example that is more than likely as stated a hunting example, the kind sometimes found with a trousse of utensils/carving tools. Cool sword...

[Dmitry]

Hello,
Imho this sword dates ca.1850 or so. It's a 17th c. revival piece, made in one of the German countries.

[M ELEY]

Excellent point, Dmitry. I agree. That's why the shell-guard and floating knuckle bow reminded me of those much earlier naval hangers.