Hanger: HEN.M.289-1933

Titles

Hanger

Maker(s)

Production: Unknown

Entities

• Hanger

Categories

• Weapons

Description

The entire hilt is in gilt-brass (?), gilt-bronze (?); some traces of the gilding remain. The hilt (grip and pommel in one) is formed, in Rococo style, of a small elegant hoof springing from a shell-and-sunburnt motif. Knuckle-guard and short rear quillon, which is turned inward against a downturned small pelta-shaped shell-guard, which has a deep rim decorated with acanthus. Blade curved and back-edged with a narrow fuller against the back starting 10.2 cm (4") below the hilt and ending at the sharpened portion of the back-edge. There is a broad and shallow fuller down the middle of the blade. At the forte it is nicely engraved with a standing warrior wearing a tall headdress like a Royal Artillery busby with a carbine slung slantwise across his back. Above his head is a kind of funerary-urn shaped frame enclosing the words V. PANDOUR (vivat Pandour). This is repeated on the reverse. Below the hilt is another lettered inscription, now too worn to decipher, in a longhand script.

Legal notes

J.S. Henderson Bequest

Acquisition and important dates

Method of acquisition: Bequeathed (1933-03-16) by Henderson, James Stewart

Dating

18th Century
Circa 1750 CE - 1770 CE

Note

There are very many small hangers of this type and date bearing decorations, incorporating warrior figures, often mounted, and the words Vivat Pandour. This celebrates a gentlemanly unit, of light cavalry raised during the Seven Years' War, famed for its ferocity.