Yay! Captain Mark!!! I was anxiously awaiting you coming in on this, as this is just your thing!!! You have long established your expertise in all things maritime, and your perspective is just what was needed here.
I agree it is really a sort of fine line in establishing the development line of these hunting swords, and the alternating quillons were a fashion that has existed on many swords forms in various cultures for years prior. I think most of my attention was on the apparant presence of decorative chain from quillon to pommel cap in lieu of knuckleguard. Obviously this suggests a much lighter type sword than the stout bladed hangers of the Hounslow and later Shotley Bridge type of the latter 17th century. Also favored were the short heavy sabres of northern Europe, often colloquially termed 'Sinclair sabres'.
It does of course seem that this type of sword would certainly have been taken up as a prize, and would serve in some degree in close quarters action on board. With that, I must admit that this weapon being found (at last!
in the grid or contiguous area of this fantastic wreck site does seem to suggest that it is indeed contemporary with it.
Naturally then, this begs the question, why would this sword have been left behind? When the QAR was being careened, accounts claim she was severely damaged in both timbers and cracking the mainmast. There does seem to have been some stress among Blackbeards contingent of pirates as there were offers of pardon on the table with provisions. This has led to the suggestions that the unfortunate disabling of the QAR may have been deliberate, and that it was set to prompt the dismantling of the pirate group.
Clearly if surrender was to be the case, this might have set the tone for a kind of 'laying down arms' to enhance the reception of the governor to more lenient terms. If the demeanor of the governor proved to be deceptive, then Blackbeard would have been better set for escape in the smaller and much faster ship.
Again, considerable materials were abandoned on the QAR, which primarily were the much larger cannon (many 24 pounders) which were completely too large and too many for the smaller ship. Many of these found were actually loaded I understand. There were among many sundry personal items which would seem to parallel the kinds of debris found in settlements occupied over time, perhaps simply lost or misplaced or just scattered about. If during the unfolding of this event abandoning the larger ship, there was dissent among the crew and participants, there may have been more attention involved in the activities and possible altercations between them.
If that kind of atmosphere was the case, perhaps the crew being left were either taken away from the site, or left in anger or any manner of those kinds of upset that might deter from organized collecting of belongings. It does seem that there are a significant number of firearm components found, and that servicable firearms would not have ordinarily been left.
Again, no edged weapons of any kind have been found until now. It has been suggested also that this item might have been 'inaccessible', perhaps either stashed away and forgotten, or perhaps even fallen into the recesses of the ship deep in a hold.
What type of motif is that seen here, thankfully preserved in brass and gilt, and what is needed is comparable example on other known swords. It this an English or French sword, as both favored this type cuttoe, in a style that was well known through the 18th century, but here establishing an even provenance than I had suspected.
Ah, the mysteries of the sea!!! We love them so!!!!!
All the best,
Jim