An rare English Silver Hilted Hunting Hanger by George Scrivener (I) of London circa 1690
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Price: £885
Ref: 42070483
Item Description
A late 17th century hunting hanger mounted with a silver hilt of typically English form. The hilt is stamped “GS” inside a shield above a pellet for George Scrivener (I) (1650 to 1694) a gifted sword cutler based in the City of London. Scrivener was sworn free of the Goldsmiths’ Company in 1672 and of the Cutlers’ Company in 1673. He died in 1694 aged just 43. Examples of his work are very rare.
The hilt is formed with a domed pommel cap, a knucklebow and a rear quillon. The grip is of stag horn mounted with a silver ferrule at the base decorated with the head of a green man on each side as is the side of the pommel cap. On top of the pommel the head of a gentleman facing to the right is moulded in a cartouche with a face on each side. The knucklebow is swollen in the middle and moulded with a face on each side. The face of a cherub is present on both sides of the quillon terminal and the knuckle bow terminal which is hooked under the pommel cap.
The robust single edged blade is 18.5 inches (47 cm) long. It is stamped with a King’s Head bladesmith’s mark on each side, one side less distinct than the other. This is probably the mark of a German bladesmith based in Solingen. The blade is in patchy shallowly pitted condition and blackened in parts. The sword retains its scabbard which is now incomplete and has lost its mounts. The sword retains its silver mounted bi-knife and fork, the iron parts of which are now in poor condition.
The silver parts are profusely marked with George Scrivener’s stamp on the pommel cap, twice on the knucklebow and on the bi-knife and fork handles.
Although called “Hunting Hangers” the term “Hunting” is something of a misnomer. These weapons, like smallswords, were essentially intended for self-defence, often in the tight confines of London’s streets, and evolved to a hiatus in the late 17th and 18th centuries. Some were intended for military use. See the portrait of Vice-Admiral John Benbow who died in 1702 who wears armour in a naval scene and is holding a hanger.
For of other silver hilted swords made by George Scrivener see Leslie Southwick, “London Silver-Hilted Swords”, their makers, suppliers and allied traders, with directory, Royal Armouries, 2001, plates 14 and 15, for two swords, one in the Metropolitan Museum of Art (Ref: 26.145.346) and one in the Royal Armouries (Ref: 1X.2806). Also see the same for the records of George Scrivener on pages 218 and 219
The overall length of the hanger is 23.25 inches (59 cm).
