Pole arm with sun, moon and stars makers stamps.

[colin henshaw]

My guess is that it is a made-up piece (perhaps in the 19th century), and that the head did not originally belong to the pole. Possibly for Victorian period display purposes ??

I'm no expert at all with European weapons, but isn't it more normal for the langets to be actually attached/part of the polearm steel blade, for strength ?

[Philip]

Originally Posted by colin henshaw

My guess is that it is a made-up piece (perhaps in the 19th century), and that the head did not originally belong to the pole. Possibly for Victorian period display purposes ??

I'm no expert at all with European weapons, but isn't it more normal for the langets to be actually attached/part of the polearm steel blade, for strength ?

Hi, Colin

To answer your questions, I pored through two references covering the subject:
1. Ewart Oakeshott, European Weapons and Armour from the Renaissance to the Industrial Revolution, chap. 2, Staff-Weapons
2. Mario Troso, Le Armi in Asta delle Infanterie Europee 1000-1500 [Polearms of European Infantry...]

that comprehensively span the time frame during which these weapons evolved in a milieu of active use.

I was struck by the absence of this particular blade shape in the wide spectrum of piercing and cutting weapons mounted on shafts, at least in Europe. The closest thing is a weapon called a glaive, which is essentially resembles a chef's knife on steroids -- straight back and convex edge, sometimes back-edged at the tip. This, and related cutting weapons, also exceed the 18 inch blade length of the piece under consideration. Oh, another thing -- the swordlike fullering on its blade is not something seen on the polearms in these and other reference books/catalogs.

To address your question #2, yes, that seems to generally be the case. However, in the numerous photo-illustrated examples in the Troso book, there are a couple in which the langets appear separate. One, a 1640s partizane (p 110, no. 4) which looks to be a parade or regalia version, has langets but clearly made separately (functionality not such an issue on a ceremonial object?). The other, a bat-wing corsesca (chauve-souris)p 126, no. 7, has a visible separation that might just as well be old damage or repair.

Could well be that this piece is a Victorian-era composite, assembled to look like a medieval or Renaissance weapon.

[Victrix]

Found this on the internet. Personally I never heard of a Sovnya before...

[BUCC_Guy]

This does not match in form or style any polearms I’ve run across... which is not unusual in the polearm world.

The blade appears heavily influenced by post-17th century sword blades, and the attachment method obviously resembles European polearms for many centuries.

Since design is often a result of usage/function, the upturned tip would imply it was designed after armor had gone out of style. It does not appear to be a copy of another design, but a combination of two.

Unregulated or unique lower end polearms are often attributed (rightly or wrongly) to locally blacksmithed militia weapons or general “peasant revolt” weapons.

Whatever it is, I believe it is “real” and purposefully built as a weapon.

I would venture to guess it’s mid-18th to mid-19th century. I usually see the unusual/“peasant” polearms of this period associated with Ireland, Scotland, and France... but those determinations are likely solely a function of where the item was discovered in an attic versus any inherent design assumptions.


This is my opinion, which is worth what you paid for it.

[colin henshaw]

Originally Posted by Philip

Hi, Colin

To answer your questions, I pored through two references covering the subject:
1. Ewart Oakeshott, European Weapons and Armour from the Renaissance to the Industrial Revolution, chap. 2, Staff-Weapons
2. Mario Troso, Le Armi in Asta delle Infanterie Europee 1000-1500 [Polearms of European Infantry...]

that comprehensively span the time frame during which these weapons evolved in a milieu of active use.

I was struck by the absence of this particular blade shape in the wide spectrum of piercing and cutting weapons mounted on shafts, at least in Europe. The closest thing is a weapon called a glaive, which is essentially resembles a chef's knife on steroids -- straight back and convex edge, sometimes back-edged at the tip. This, and related cutting weapons, also exceed the 18 inch blade length of the piece under consideration. Oh, another thing -- the swordlike fullering on its blade is not something seen on the polearms in these and other reference books/catalogs.

To address your question #2, yes, that seems to generally be the case. However, in the numerous photo-illustrated examples in the Troso book, there are a couple in which the langets appear separate. One, a 1640s partizane (p 110, no. 4) which looks to be a parade or regalia version, has langets but clearly made separately (functionality not such an issue on a ceremonial object?). The other, a bat-wing corsesca (chauve-souris)p 126, no. 7, has a visible separation that might just as well be old damage or repair.

Could well be that this piece is a Victorian-era composite, assembled to look like a medieval or Renaissance weapon.

Hello Philip,

Good information... many thanks for taking the trouble to do this research. I was only working on memory from my visits to the Wallace Collection here in London, and have no reference books on European Arms available to me currently.