English C.1690 Hunting/Naval Officer's Sword

English C.1690 Hunting/Naval Officer’s Sword

A fine and unusual example of a late-17th Century English short sword that is of a type carried by both huntsmen and naval officers. It comprises a brass mounted hilt with typical staghorn grip. The pommel is decorated with cherubic faces, the motif being continued to the shell guard that features a winged cherub. What makes this sword quite unusual is the use of a covering of silver to the shell guard – both on top and to the underside. Have not seen this before but it is clear that it was done when the sword was originally manufactured and is not a later addition. The blade is un-fullered and slightly curved and includes two deeply stamped King’s Head maker marks. These are normally attributed to the Wundes sword making family of Solingen, Germany who were prolific throughout the 17th and 18th Century. These hangers were particularly favoured by English naval officers of the late-17th and early 18th Century as the shorter blades meant that they could be used on board a crowded ship’s deck. Contemporary portraits show them being carried by English naval officers – see image below.