Help with halberd

[M ELEY]

Perhaps the Moderators might double-post this on the Ethnographics side. I truly feel this one is East Indian. That does not conflict with it being very old and a truly great piece!

[fernando]

One thing is certain; this is not a battle weapon !

[kronckew]

Originally Posted by fernando

One thing is certain; this is not a battle weapon !

I'd not be so quick to discount it's use as a weapon. The axe blade looks more like a vestigal non-functional decoration, the hook and especially the substantial spike would be deadly against horsemen. Swiss halberders were fond of hooking Knight's tabards and pulling them off their horse, then sticking the spike into a joint in the armour, neck, armpit, or open face mask to convert bad Austrians into good ones. The axes on theirs were used on more exposed meaty bits.

The good citizens of Flanders defeated an Illustrious army of 14c noble French knights with their hastily made Goedendagen, basicly a quarterstaff with a long spike like the one on this halberd, sans hook tho. I could see this one and it's brothers guarding a Princely General against opposing Armoured cavalry. It'd be better with some languets added tho.

[fernando]

Originally Posted by kronckew

... I'd not be so quick to discount it's use as a weapon ...

Dayne, old chum; one thing is an implement being able (as any) to be used as a weapon, the other is it being genuinely forged to be a (battle) weapon .

[fernando]

Originally Posted by M ELEY

Perhaps the Moderators might double-post this on the Ethnographics side. I truly feel this one is East Indian ...

Will do that, Mark; not following your thoughts on the origin, though.