A question about boarding pikes

M ELEY · 23rd January 2021, 06:36 AM

I'm dusting off this old thread because I have better pics of this item and I just discovered the head actually screws off and is tanged, while the ferrule holds it in place! Very interesting construction! I haven't seen anything like this before, which made me a little nervous. Is this tanged head that resembles a tombak really an Indonesian piece? I don't think so, as the haft is wormy ash (a Euro and American favorite wood for spears/pikes from time immortal), nor does it have any of the typical designs/pamor, etc. In all other ways, it fits the bill of a short boarding pike. The diamond-shaped blade would place it Amer Rev War period up to 1800 perhaps. I had also thought of trench spears, which were popular in America at this time for fort defense, but the ferrule, decorative design around the base and quality of the head seems to steer away from the typically much more primitive spears of the era. I'm sticking to my guns that this is a boarding pike, possibly private purchase, but just as likely made during the Revolution, when swords, halberds and pikes were locally constructed by blacksmiths and thus simple in nature-

David R · 23rd January 2021, 02:12 PM

Looking at the construction, I think you have an 18th-early 19th century infantry officers or sergeants half pike.More of a rank symbol than a weapon, though known to have been used as such.

M ELEY · 24th January 2021, 01:46 AM

Thank you, David, for coming in on this one. Staff weapons are often non-descript and hard to pin-point. I had considered that possibility (thus, my 'trench spear' mention), but wasn't sure of pike lengths during this era. I'm still happy it is at least of the period and well constructed.

23rd January 2021, 06:36 AM	#1
M ELEY Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: NC, U.S.A. Posts: 2,076	A new discovery! I'm dusting off this old thread because I have better pics of this item and I just discovered the head actually screws off and is tanged, while the ferrule holds it in place! Very interesting construction! I haven't seen anything like this before, which made me a little nervous. Is this tanged head that resembles a tombak really an Indonesian piece? I don't think so, as the haft is wormy ash (a Euro and American favorite wood for spears/pikes from time immortal), nor does it have any of the typical designs/pamor, etc. In all other ways, it fits the bill of a short boarding pike. The diamond-shaped blade would place it Amer Rev War period up to 1800 perhaps. I had also thought of trench spears, which were popular in America at this time for fort defense, but the ferrule, decorative design around the base and quality of the head seems to steer away from the typically much more primitive spears of the era. I'm sticking to my guns that this is a boarding pike, possibly private purchase, but just as likely made during the Revolution, when swords, halberds and pikes were locally constructed by blacksmiths and thus simple in nature- Attached Images

23rd January 2021, 02:12 PM	#2
David R Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 1,055	Looking at the construction, I think you have an 18th-early 19th century infantry officers or sergeants half pike.More of a rank symbol than a weapon, though known to have been used as such.

24th January 2021, 01:46 AM	#3
M ELEY Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: NC, U.S.A. Posts: 2,076	Thank you, David, for coming in on this one. Staff weapons are often non-descript and hard to pin-point. I had considered that possibility (thus, my 'trench spear' mention), but wasn't sure of pike lengths during this era. I'm still happy it is at least of the period and well constructed.