A question about boarding pikes

M ELEY · 30th September 2009, 05:58 AM

Finally...
Not the greatest pics, but...
My question is, is this a colonial Spanish lance, a Rev War spear or a small boarding pike sans langets (I'm not too concerned with this, as many of the American pikes didn't have side straps). The head is classic diamond shaped, the wood wormy ash (used for lances and pikes) shaved down to bare wood, the neck around this piece has the traditional spiraling pattern and the small "X's" decorations associated with colonial Span pieces. Old museum numbers in white paint. The butt of the shaft is flat, no metal cap. Head is 9", total with shaft 65". I'm told that boarding pike hafts were either painted black/brown or "shaved" down to bare wood as this piece is.

M ELEY · 30th September 2009, 06:34 AM

Try again...

M ELEY · 1st October 2009, 05:35 AM

Any takers?

Gonzalo G · 1st October 2009, 06:22 AM

You are very young!
Not spanish colonial, I think, but it does seems a boarding spear. Well, it COULD be spanish navy, but not specifically colonial. There are many colonial spears and lances, made in Spain or in America and used by the colonial army and auxiliaries, but they are more longer, heavy and with the shafts more thick. Sorry if I am not more useful. There are others in the forum with more knowledge about this kind of weapons.
Regards

Gonzalo

M ELEY · 1st October 2009, 09:44 AM

Gonzalo, you are my new favorite forumite-

Actually, I just celebrated my 42nd birthday, so not so young as I used to be.

Thank you so much for responding to this grey area of collecting. I found several listings of Spanish spear, pike and lance heads, but none with the shaft (which would have helped narrow mine down). Likewise, even these seem to contradict their classifications. I'm hoping to find out if the wormy ash wood was used strictly for pikes and not on spears/lances, as mine is complete with the tiny bore holes. When I purchased this piece, I was told it was a British boarding pike, but the X designs made me think of those markings I've seen on Span lance heads and on my Brazilian espada/cutlass.

Here is one similar listed as a pike head (6 down)
http://www.autrynationalcenter.org/a...h_colonial.php

Here is a spear head, similar, but not as diamond-shaped as mine
http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedi...00-lance-spear

M ELEY · 1st October 2009, 10:59 AM

So no one thinks I'm crazy about the "X" decorations-

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...hlight=spanish

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...hlight=spanish

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...hlight=spanish

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...hlight=spanish

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...hlight=spanish

The one above worries me. African X designs on weapons? Could my piece be an African spear (not my area, but I've never seen one with diamond blade or wormy ash shaft, so???)

Here's a similar pattern on cutlass-
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...zilian+cutlass

kronckew · 1st October 2009, 05:43 PM

Just for interest, HMS Warrior, a rebuilt 1860's warship, is moored in Portsmouth near HMS Victory. when i saw the initial comment on the british boarding pike, i remembered that the Warrior had racks of them, some around the base of the masts.

i seem to recall they were about 6 ft. long, possibly 7, and had a triangular pike point with langets, and a tail piece.

the ship also had racks and racks of original colt navy revolvers, rifled muskets, and the std. steel hilted spectacle guard cutlasses. they have a website that will take you on a virtual tour, but the weapons are not shown, darn it.

anyhow, anyone finding themselves in the area, it's well worth seeing both the Victory and the Warrior, as well as the rest of the site. the wreck of the Mary Rose, with it's tudor weaponry is also there - try pulling a 150lb longbow there!

30th September 2009, 05:58 AM	#1
M ELEY Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: NC, U.S.A. Posts: 2,211	Finally... Not the greatest pics, but... My question is, is this a colonial Spanish lance, a Rev War spear or a small boarding pike sans langets (I'm not too concerned with this, as many of the American pikes didn't have side straps). The head is classic diamond shaped, the wood wormy ash (used for lances and pikes) shaved down to bare wood, the neck around this piece has the traditional spiraling pattern and the small "X's" decorations associated with colonial Span pieces. Old museum numbers in white paint. The butt of the shaft is flat, no metal cap. Head is 9", total with shaft 65". I'm told that boarding pike hafts were either painted black/brown or "shaved" down to bare wood as this piece is. Attached Images Last edited by M ELEY; 1st October 2009 at 05:33 AM.

30th September 2009, 06:34 AM	#2
M ELEY Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: NC, U.S.A. Posts: 2,211	Try again... Attached Images

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1st October 2009, 05:35 AM	#3
M ELEY Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: NC, U.S.A. Posts: 2,211	Any takers?

1st October 2009, 06:22 AM	#4
Gonzalo G Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Nothern Mexico Posts: 458	You are very young! Not spanish colonial, I think, but it does seems a boarding spear. Well, it COULD be spanish navy, but not specifically colonial. There are many colonial spears and lances, made in Spain or in America and used by the colonial army and auxiliaries, but they are more longer, heavy and with the shafts more thick. Sorry if I am not more useful. There are others in the forum with more knowledge about this kind of weapons. Regards Gonzalo

1st October 2009, 09:44 AM	#5
M ELEY Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: NC, U.S.A. Posts: 2,211	Gonzalo, you are my new favorite forumite- Actually, I just celebrated my 42nd birthday, so not so young as I used to be. Thank you so much for responding to this grey area of collecting. I found several listings of Spanish spear, pike and lance heads, but none with the shaft (which would have helped narrow mine down). Likewise, even these seem to contradict their classifications. I'm hoping to find out if the wormy ash wood was used strictly for pikes and not on spears/lances, as mine is complete with the tiny bore holes. When I purchased this piece, I was told it was a British boarding pike, but the X designs made me think of those markings I've seen on Span lance heads and on my Brazilian espada/cutlass. Here is one similar listed as a pike head (6 down) http://www.autrynationalcenter.org/a...h_colonial.php Here is a spear head, similar, but not as diamond-shaped as mine http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedi...00-lance-spear

1st October 2009, 10:59 AM	#6
M ELEY Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: NC, U.S.A. Posts: 2,211	So no one thinks I'm crazy about the "X" decorations- http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...hlight=spanish http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...hlight=spanish http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...hlight=spanish http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...hlight=spanish http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...hlight=spanish The one above worries me. African X designs on weapons? Could my piece be an African spear (not my area, but I've never seen one with diamond blade or wormy ash shaft, so???) Here's a similar pattern on cutlass- http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...zilian+cutlass

1st October 2009, 05:43 PM	#7
kronckew Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Room 101, Glos. UK Posts: 4,263	Just for interest, HMS Warrior, a rebuilt 1860's warship, is moored in Portsmouth near HMS Victory. when i saw the initial comment on the british boarding pike, i remembered that the Warrior had racks of them, some around the base of the masts. i seem to recall they were about 6 ft. long, possibly 7, and had a triangular pike point with langets, and a tail piece. the ship also had racks and racks of original colt navy revolvers, rifled muskets, and the std. steel hilted spectacle guard cutlasses. they have a website that will take you on a virtual tour, but the weapons are not shown, darn it. anyhow, anyone finding themselves in the area, it's well worth seeing both the Victory and the Warrior, as well as the rest of the site. the wreck of the Mary Rose, with it's tudor weaponry is also there - try pulling a 150lb longbow there!