Possible sword pommel
Found 7/14/2019 in Harford Co., Maryland. Oldest relics from same area date from late 18th to early 19th century. Close inspection shows remnants of gilding. Object is heavy so I consider it to be cast brass. Any help making id is appreciated.


 Attachment: 686.23 KB
IMG_7849.png


 Attachment: 328.65 KB
IMG_7844.png


 Attachment: 448.27 KB
IMG_7847.png


 Attachment: 933.05 KB
[ Download ]

 Attachment: 933.05 KB
[ Download ]
Welcome aboard.

It is not unusual but unfortunate that the rest of the sword hilt parts were not found with it. Yes a pommel and from a smallsword of some type.

You might enjoy browsing through this title.
https://www.metmuseum.org/art/metpublications/catalogue_of_european_court_swords_and_hunting_swords

There was a lot of overlap by country. There were a few ways to apply gold to the base metal. France was getting into cast and pierced steel before the Germans and English and this general shape lasted a very long time. My guesses as to origin and narrowing a date wouldn't be as accurate as some others.

Blade types varied but overall weights were a pound or less without a scabbard. Blades rust away in some ground quite quickly.

I think it's from the second quarter of the 18th century but I don't have a definitive answer.

Please add total height in inches or cm/mm. This may have been for a slightly heavier sword such as a spadroon.

Cheers
GC
Thanks for your response
Thank you Glen.
Very helpful information you offer.
Pommel length is 43mm.

I will do a wider search of the area to look for other parts.
Peterson reference
Google search on “gilded brass pommel” yielded link to Harold L. Peterson’s book “The American Sword 1775 - 1945”
Yes, Peterson is often regarded as the old testament for American use swords but a primer such as the Bashford Dean catalogue and say, George Neumann's Swords and Blades of the American Revolution are better starts.
https://www.amazon.com/Swords-Blades-American-Revolution-Neumann/dp/1880655004

Those would be much more expansive flash card decks for finding a similar example. The overall genre of 18th century smallswords and hangers easily fill half a dozen research books with hundreds of variations of similar pommels.

The Peterson book and Neumann's belong on any shelf for someone looking at sword history in the US but they honestly only scratch the surface. The Peterson book is not where I would direct others, even though there is a silver hilt appendix with a couple of dozen random smallswords.

Cheers
GC

Page 1 of 1

Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
You cannot attach files in this forum
You can download files in this forum




All contents © Copyright 2003-2006 myArmoury.com — All rights reserved
Discussion forums powered by phpBB © The phpBB Group
Switch to the Full-featured Version of the forum