Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post

Jim McDougall · 18th January 2005, 02:46 AM

Now the thumbring really adds new dimension!! That was definitely not on British swords...but does appear on German hangers of the same period.
(Neumann p.76, 44.S). However, the German hanger illustrated has certain different characteristics such as a solid cast brass hilt with spiral fluting, the globular pommel is similar but the ferrule is different and the capstan is more flattened....also, the thumbring is integral to the guard.

Your example has more British characteristics especially the wire grip wrap, the capstan, but most distinctively interesting is that the thumbring seems added, although possibly contemporary to working life. It would seem that the thumbring was a feature used on latter 17th century Northern European swords, presumably for better control ( seen on Swedish cavalry swords c.1680, but the feature reached Austrian as well as German swords through the 18th c.). It is interesting to note that the characteristic heart shaped guard seems to have evolved to the British models from these European examples.

It should be noted that during the Revolutionary War, at least 30,000 German mercenaries came to America carrying what is described as a motley array of European weapons from late 17th to early 18th century, including the German thumbring hangers. While only hopeful speculation, especially as armourers were especially scarce in the colonies, the added thumbring could plausibly have been at request of owner.....but this would be most surprising as this feature was all but abandoned by this time of the 18th c.
Still a good chance that this was from other of the European countries with the thumbring mounted in this manner, lots of further checking to do to rule out the 'added on' idea.

Most interesting and attractive sabre though!! don't worry about the cleaning, it still looks great!! outstanding heavy blade, and I always liked the thumbrings (sort of a vestige of early chivalry).

All the best,
Jim

18th January 2005, 02:46 AM	#4
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,194	Now the thumbring really adds new dimension!! That was definitely not on British swords...but does appear on German hangers of the same period. (Neumann p.76, 44.S). However, the German hanger illustrated has certain different characteristics such as a solid cast brass hilt with spiral fluting, the globular pommel is similar but the ferrule is different and the capstan is more flattened....also, the thumbring is integral to the guard. Your example has more British characteristics especially the wire grip wrap, the capstan, but most distinctively interesting is that the thumbring seems added, although possibly contemporary to working life. It would seem that the thumbring was a feature used on latter 17th century Northern European swords, presumably for better control ( seen on Swedish cavalry swords c.1680, but the feature reached Austrian as well as German swords through the 18th c.). It is interesting to note that the characteristic heart shaped guard seems to have evolved to the British models from these European examples. It should be noted that during the Revolutionary War, at least 30,000 German mercenaries came to America carrying what is described as a motley array of European weapons from late 17th to early 18th century, including the German thumbring hangers. While only hopeful speculation, especially as armourers were especially scarce in the colonies, the added thumbring could plausibly have been at request of owner.....but this would be most surprising as this feature was all but abandoned by this time of the 18th c. Still a good chance that this was from other of the European countries with the thumbring mounted in this manner, lots of further checking to do to rule out the 'added on' idea. Most interesting and attractive sabre though!! don't worry about the cleaning, it still looks great!! outstanding heavy blade, and I always liked the thumbrings (sort of a vestige of early chivalry). All the best, Jim Last edited by Jim McDougall; 18th January 2005 at 03:15 AM.