This exceptional American Revolutionary War silver hilt Baltimore eagle head officer’s naval hanger sword dates circa 1777 to 1783 and represents one of the rarest forms of American Revolutionary edged weaponry. Made for a wealthy American Revolutionary War officer, most likely for naval use, the sword measures approximately 30 inches overall with a 23 1/2 inch blade. It features a silver hilt, eagle head pommel, and green ivory grip, with hairline cracks visible on both sides of the grip consistent with age. The sword retains its original leather scabbard with original silver fittings, surviving in fair to good condition for its age. This survival is highly significant, as most leather scabbards from the Revolutionary War era did not survive. The sword is noted as similar to an example illustrated in Neumann’s reference work and is one of only a very small number believed to exist.
Silver hilt American Revolutionary swords are among the most elite objects in the entire field of early American arms. Less than one half of one percent of Revolutionary War swords are believed to have silver hilts, reflecting the wealth, rank, and social standing of the officers who could afford such private commissions. Baltimore and other American coastal centers produced or supplied refined officer hangers for men serving in martial, maritime, and privateering contexts. The eagle head form is especially powerful in the Revolutionary period, as it anticipates and reflects the emerging national symbolism of the United States during the very years of independence.
This sword is a true centerpiece of American Revolutionary War collecting. The silver hilt, Baltimore attribution, eagle head pommel, probable naval association, original leather scabbard with silver fittings, Neumann comparison, and extreme rarity place it in a category few collectors will ever have the opportunity to pursue. As America approaches its 250th anniversary, this is exactly the kind of founding-era artifact that carries national significance, not just collector value.
Dimensions: Approximately 30 inches overall, with a 23 1/2 inch blade.
