Struggling writer needs help with historical accuracy! It seems the members of this forum are extraordinarily knowledgeable, so I thought I would throw in a real stumper. Does anyone know what kind of sword would have been likely to be used by civil authorities/soldiers in 18th Century (around 1725) Venice? Specifically, by local magistrates/ law enforcement such as the Dorsoduro Night Guard?

If you know the type of sword, what would the approximate blade length and overall weight be?

Any help at all would be greatly appreciated.

This is the heyday for a sword type called a "hanger" (aka, "cutlass," later "briquette"). It was a common infantry sidearm of the time and persisted in civic use long after it became obsolete for military use. If I remember correctly, hangers were used by various police forces well into the 19th c. Lacking evidence to the contrary, it's what I'd put in the hands of fictional 18th c. Italian cops.

There are fine examples, but the typical hanger is a very simple weapon. Short, narrow blade, slightly curved. Cast brass hilt with knucklebow and globular pommel. Typically worn in a baldric (wide belt worn across the body, from shoulder to waist). Size? Maybe 30" overall.

In earlier times, the Italians would have called this a "storta," but I don't know for sure what they called what we call a "hanger".

Read this post, in which I describe a reproduction "Model 1742" German/English hanger:

http://www.myArmoury.com/talk/viewtopic.php?t...light=1742

I'll check around and see what I can find for you.