VIVAT PANDOUR INSCRIBED HUSSAR SWORD

Jim McDougall · 19th December 2012, 05:25 AM

An attractive sabre, but for me personally I'm a bit uncomfortable with its 'interpretative' characteristics in which the hilt is 'in the style of' the early 17th century Hungarian forms. However the quillons were typically longer, as was the langet bar which typically ran up the grip most of the way. This configuration to me resembles a kaskara type crossguard, and the langet resembles some 18th century Austrian and German cavalry sabres of 1780s.

The blade seems like an 18th century European cavalry blade with clipped back/shallow yelman. As Chris has well noted the Pandours were irregular troops for Austria during the War of the Austrian Succession (1740-48) originally formed by Baron von Trenck. Thier exploits, while effective for a time, became notably troublesome when many of these troops became renegades and the units disbanded with von Trenck imprisoned (he committed suicide in prison 1749). Thier fearsome reputation became well known throughout Europe in these times however, and motif heralding them in a commemorative sense began to appear as noted, on plug type hunting bayonets around 1750+.
As far as I have known, these motif and inscriptions using the term 'VIVAT PANDUR' only occurred on these bayonets ( R.D.C.Evans, 'The Plug Bayonet', 2002, p.94) and on some court type hunting swords of later in the 18th century (Bashford Dean, 1929; Buttin, 1933).
This mid to latter 18th century inscription, seems out of place on what would seem to be an interpretation of a Hungarian sabre of 150 years before. The pommel also is quite contrary to the usual protrusion on the early sabres for better grip.
My opinions based on these photos of the example posted and comparison to images of actual specimens of Hungarian sabres c.1600 in Ostrowski, 1979. As always age can best be detected with hands on handling, and while tempted to suggest 18th century, I cannot see why a cavalry sabre of 18th century would be made in this style when at this time they had knuckleguards, nor with this motif.

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19th December 2012, 05:25 AM	#3
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,459	An attractive sabre, but for me personally I'm a bit uncomfortable with its 'interpretative' characteristics in which the hilt is 'in the style of' the early 17th century Hungarian forms. However the quillons were typically longer, as was the langet bar which typically ran up the grip most of the way. This configuration to me resembles a kaskara type crossguard, and the langet resembles some 18th century Austrian and German cavalry sabres of 1780s. The blade seems like an 18th century European cavalry blade with clipped back/shallow yelman. As Chris has well noted the Pandours were irregular troops for Austria during the War of the Austrian Succession (1740-48) originally formed by Baron von Trenck. Thier exploits, while effective for a time, became notably troublesome when many of these troops became renegades and the units disbanded with von Trenck imprisoned (he committed suicide in prison 1749). Thier fearsome reputation became well known throughout Europe in these times however, and motif heralding them in a commemorative sense began to appear as noted, on plug type hunting bayonets around 1750+. As far as I have known, these motif and inscriptions using the term 'VIVAT PANDUR' only occurred on these bayonets ( R.D.C.Evans, 'The Plug Bayonet', 2002, p.94) and on some court type hunting swords of later in the 18th century (Bashford Dean, 1929; Buttin, 1933). This mid to latter 18th century inscription, seems out of place on what would seem to be an interpretation of a Hungarian sabre of 150 years before. The pommel also is quite contrary to the usual protrusion on the early sabres for better grip. My opinions based on these photos of the example posted and comparison to images of actual specimens of Hungarian sabres c.1600 in Ostrowski, 1979. As always age can best be detected with hands on handling, and while tempted to suggest 18th century, I cannot see why a cavalry sabre of 18th century would be made in this style when at this time they had knuckleguards, nor with this motif.