Repurposed Spontoon?

mgolab · 17th January 2026, 08:57 PM

This piece just arrived. Reminds me of a pike/spontoon repurposed for a short sword. Nice lion head pommel.

My guess is late 18th century. Found in Massachusetts

20 inches overall with a 15 inch blade.

M ELEY · 19th January 2026, 04:39 PM

Hello Mark. The hilt on this piece is amazing! It certainly dates 18th or earlier. It resembles the early 'English lion' types, but it could also be Dutch. The blade is interesting. While it could be a European or American pike head, it also resembles both Indonesian and East Indian spear heads. The ribbed collar makes me wonder if it might be more Asian (Chinese? Malay?) That's always the problem with these types, as all countries used them and they were always the plainest of the plain weapons. I'll let others chime in on their opinion.

mgolab · 19th January 2026, 07:19 PM

Thanks Mark. Very good to hear from you. Yes, the blade has me scratching my head. Here is another picture with indentations on the blade.

Also, the blade is peened and runs through the hilt.

Thanks

Jim McDougall · 19th January 2026, 10:47 PM

As Mark has well noted, the lion head was an affectation not only used by England, but by the Dutch. Often I wonder if the Dutch influenced the British in these hilt features, there was a great deal of such diffusion.

Whatever the case this ersatz weapon does seem to be the kind of assembly which seems to have occurred in remote or colonial circumstances, and the use of various hafted weapon blades would no be unusual. Actually Im always amazed by the numbers of such weapons which seem to come up from time to time, and are typically of course avoided by most collectors.

Time to hit the books and find comparisons for this lion head form and the spontoon.....I must excavate my copy of Neumann!

M ELEY · 19th January 2026, 11:01 PM

Possibly a tombak? Note the ferrule-

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=12310

Jim McDougall · Yesterday, 12:31 AM

I think you're onto something Capn.....the ferruling does resemble certain weaponry in Indonesia, Ceylon etc. and the tombak image is compelling.
Note the curious lion head compared to the Sinhalese example hanger you had posted in 2010...note the distinctively 'toothey' mouth.

Spontoons seem typically to have 'winged' appendages added to the blade, and were of course typically socketed for the haft rather than tanged, though of course there were likely variations.

The compelling sense of Dutch and East Indies potential for this unusual combination would seem a quite possible case and with the Massachusetts provenance recalls the notable 'China trade' in these ports in 18th c.
Interesting potential!

mgolab · Yesterday, 02:26 PM

very interesting. I am curious whether this piece may have some sea/naval connection, given the MA provenance. A bring back piece by a sea captain perhaps?

Interested Party · Yesterday, 05:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by M ELEY

.....it also resembles both Indonesian and East Indian spear heads. The ribbed collar makes me wonder if it might be more Asian (Chinese? Malay?)...... I'll let others chime in on their opinion.

Why not the straightforward solution of a re-hilted Mediterranean dagger those often have swagged and fullered self-guards? For some reason I though on tombaks this swaged and fullered piece was separate like a mendak on a keris. Though it could have traveled.

Interested Party · Yesterday, 05:18 PM

And the lion looks Dutch to me as well, and I have to admit the more I look at it there is a family resemblance to some pedang hilts I have seen. The hexagonal hilt reminds me of the faceted foça da ponta hilts.

M ELEY · Today, 08:30 PM

Hi Interested Party. Most tombak 'necks' are integral with the shaft of the blade, but you bring up an excellent point that many Mediterranian types have this collar too. I definitely think the hilt is European and as it resembles many Dutch pieces, I still think this could be the case.

Jim, you brought up my Dutch falchien that has such a leering lion haft. Interestingly, my sword was probably crafted in Shri Lanka for the Dutch market and this country also uses lions in their decor.

Mark G, this is a truly great piece! Maritime? One never knows...

mgolab · Today, 09:19 PM

Thank you all for the feedback. Certainly, a curious piece...

Interested Party: just to play devil's advocate, why not a French spontoon blade? See 115.PA in Neumann's Swords and Blades of the American Revolution-

Jim McDougall · Today, 10:07 PM

Good one Capn with that Ceylonese hanger for the Dutch, and that is one of the most remarkable examples of this colonial situation....the character of the lionhead mouth is compelling.

Mark, good point, why could this spontoon not be Flemish? French? While these heads seem invariably hafted with side straps, these could have easily been cut away. That leaves the issue with the tang.

Still, there is a strong case for maritime association here, which would lean toward the East Indies/Orient trade and its strong connections in New England.

17th January 2026, 08:57 PM	#1
mgolab Member Join Date: Jun 2023 Posts: 134	Repurposed Spontoon? This piece just arrived. Reminds me of a pike/spontoon repurposed for a short sword. Nice lion head pommel. My guess is late 18th century. Found in Massachusetts 20 inches overall with a 15 inch blade. Attached Images

19th January 2026, 07:19 PM	#3
mgolab Member Join Date: Jun 2023 Posts: 134	Thanks Mark. Very good to hear from you. Yes, the blade has me scratching my head. Here is another picture with indentations on the blade. Also, the blade is peened and runs through the hilt. Thanks Attached Images

Yesterday, 05:18 PM	#9
Interested Party Member Join Date: Dec 2019 Location: Eastern Sierra Posts: 521	And the lion looks Dutch to me as well, and I have to admit the more I look at it there is a family resemblance to some pedang hilts I have seen. The hexagonal hilt reminds me of the faceted foça da ponta hilts. Last edited by Interested Party; Yesterday at 05:31 PM.

Today, 08:30 PM	#10
M ELEY Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: NC, U.S.A. Posts: 2,219	Hi Interested Party. Most tombak 'necks' are integral with the shaft of the blade, but you bring up an excellent point that many Mediterranian types have this collar too. I definitely think the hilt is European and as it resembles many Dutch pieces, I still think this could be the case. Jim, you brought up my Dutch falchien that has such a leering lion haft. Interestingly, my sword was probably crafted in Shri Lanka for the Dutch market and this country also uses lions in their decor. Mark G, this is a truly great piece! Maritime? One never knows... Attached Images

19th January 2026, 04:39 PM	#2
M ELEY Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: NC, U.S.A. Posts: 2,219	Hello Mark. The hilt on this piece is amazing! It certainly dates 18th or earlier. It resembles the early 'English lion' types, but it could also be Dutch. The blade is interesting. While it could be a European or American pike head, it also resembles both Indonesian and East Indian spear heads. The ribbed collar makes me wonder if it might be more Asian (Chinese? Malay?) That's always the problem with these types, as all countries used them and they were always the plainest of the plain weapons. I'll let others chime in on their opinion.

19th January 2026, 10:47 PM	#4
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,776	As Mark has well noted, the lion head was an affectation not only used by England, but by the Dutch. Often I wonder if the Dutch influenced the British in these hilt features, there was a great deal of such diffusion. Whatever the case this ersatz weapon does seem to be the kind of assembly which seems to have occurred in remote or colonial circumstances, and the use of various hafted weapon blades would no be unusual. Actually Im always amazed by the numbers of such weapons which seem to come up from time to time, and are typically of course avoided by most collectors. Time to hit the books and find comparisons for this lion head form and the spontoon.....I must excavate my copy of Neumann!

19th January 2026, 11:01 PM	#5
M ELEY Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: NC, U.S.A. Posts: 2,219	Possibly a tombak? Note the ferrule- http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=12310

Yesterday, 12:31 AM	#6
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,776	I think you're onto something Capn.....the ferruling does resemble certain weaponry in Indonesia, Ceylon etc. and the tombak image is compelling. Note the curious lion head compared to the Sinhalese example hanger you had posted in 2010...note the distinctively 'toothey' mouth. Spontoons seem typically to have 'winged' appendages added to the blade, and were of course typically socketed for the haft rather than tanged, though of course there were likely variations. The compelling sense of Dutch and East Indies potential for this unusual combination would seem a quite possible case and with the Massachusetts provenance recalls the notable 'China trade' in these ports in 18th c. Interesting potential!

Yesterday, 02:26 PM	#7
mgolab Member Join Date: Jun 2023 Posts: 134	very interesting. I am curious whether this piece may have some sea/naval connection, given the MA provenance. A bring back piece by a sea captain perhaps?

Today, 09:19 PM	#11
mgolab Member Join Date: Jun 2023 Posts: 134	Thank you all for the feedback. Certainly, a curious piece... Interested Party: just to play devil's advocate, why not a French spontoon blade? See 115.PA in Neumann's Swords and Blades of the American Revolution-

Today, 10:07 PM	#12
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,776	Good one Capn with that Ceylonese hanger for the Dutch, and that is one of the most remarkable examples of this colonial situation....the character of the lionhead mouth is compelling. Mark, good point, why could this spontoon not be Flemish? French? While these heads seem invariably hafted with side straps, these could have easily been cut away. That leaves the issue with the tang. Still, there is a strong case for maritime association here, which would lean toward the East Indies/Orient trade and its strong connections in New England.