Original Item. Only One Available. This is a tremendously scarce American Officer’s hanger sword as used during the American Revolutionary War. A Hanger Sword is a bladed weapon that got its name from the manner in which it was hung on the belt of the person who used it. It could be made in large quantities, is not particularly expensive to do so, and was first used as a hunting weapon before being put to use in combat. This is a much higher end variation, with a hilt constructed entirely of silver aside from the wooden grip which is wrapped in silver & silver wire.

The Hanger sword was a type of saber that was very short and mainly placed on the belts of its owners for convenience and ease of access, hence the name. It was a very simple sword that was practical and had many uses. Its versatility is the reason why there are many different types of it.

The first type of Hanger sword was the Cutting Hanger. This single-edged and curved sword hung from the belts of foot soldiers as a military sidearm, mainly in 16th-century Europe and was still being used centuries later.

The sword bears many similarities to examples in museums named to famous Revolutionary War officers, including one named to General Hugh Mercer who died shortly after being wounded in the Battle of Princeton, his sword now on display in the Philadelphia Museum of the American Revolution. This sword may have belonged to a Lieutenant or Captain.

The blade of this example is heavily tarnished but is still in great shape with the fuller still visible. There may have been markings on the ricasso at one point, but they are now gone. There are some small chips to the edge of the blade near the tip, and most of the oxidation is near the tip as well.

The hilt is a gorgeous construction, still tight on the tang. The guard is constructed of silver as well as the rounded pommel. The grip is wood covered by silver bands which are further wrapped with two sets of silver wire. The wire and bands are a bit loose but are still all retained. This is a gorgeous example of a Revolutionary War Officer’s hanger sword, and will become the centerpiece of your early American sword collection. Comes ready for further research and display.

Specifications:
Blade Length: 28½” 
Blade Style: Hanger
Overall length: 34 ⅜”
Crossguard: 3 ½”