An impressively decorated early English Hunting Hanger dating to the middle of the 17th century and the English Civil War period.

The iron  hilt consists of an upwardly convex shell guard attached to a robust quillon block which has a flattened lobed downward facing rear quillon and curved knuckle bow which is attached to the pommel front with a hook. The domed pommel cap has an integral ribbed button on top. The grip is formed from natural roe buck antler and has a pronounced collar at the base.

The hilt is impressively chiselled in relief in typical English 17th century style. The convex surface of the shell has a profile portrait of a male wearing a wig and robe presumably indicating a judicial connection. The bust is flanked by intricate scrolling tendrils. The bust is repeated on the front of the base collar of the grip. The quillon and knucklebow are deeply chiselled with foliate designs. The flattened hook at the top of the knucklebow is fashioned as a beast’s head. The pommel top is cut with a flower head of six petals which radiate from the pommel button to the edge. The sides of the collar are chiselled with conjoined arches.

The curved single edged blade becomes double edged towards the tip. It has a short ricasso from which on the reverse side a single broad fuller extends underneath the spine almost to the tip. Interestingly, on the front side, a fuller commences from the hilt in the same manner for a short distance after which it bifurcates into two fullers running underneath the spine. The bottom fuller terminates near the tip and the top fuller terminates where the blade becomes double edged. At the forte the short broader fuller is inscribed with ‘Louis Oldfieldt, Dundlek ont”. The meaning of which is unknown.

The hanger is in good original condition with a light consistent “salt and pepper” russet surface all over. The blade length is 19.25 inches (49 cm) and overall the hanger is 24.75 inches (just over 62 cm) long.

Provenance: The Professor David Weaver Collection.