Sword hilt for ID

[Hotspur]

Originally Posted by M ELEY

I think that the Spanish colonial/Mexican opinion is the closest until someone presents material to refute it. Under my previous response, I mentioned American eagle-heads with 'very similar' form and I'll stick by with it, in that some of those pieces in the Lattimer collection are obviously later Mexican pieces. Your friend would benefit from that book by Hartlzer I mentioned earlier.

Plate 327, the closest to our eagle with the exact beak pattern (almost ibis-like), eye and feather pattern on a sword by William Ball of Baltimore (1763-1815). His other swords, listed in plates above, all extremely similar.

Along with having the book in hand, I also have many scans of the eagle and bird pommels (indeed could post all the examples you have listed). I also find no examples in Hartzler's book as obviously Mexican, nor listed as such. Again, I would continue to think it remiss for any to use Ball's work as relevant to the sword in the original post to this thread and indeed the only similarities that of birds with feathers. The same true for the Medicus collection book in reference to eagles found there.

Cheers

GC