Just purchased. A spear head.

[David R]

I have just bought this from E**y, where it was advertised as an African spear head, probably late 19th early 20th C. I have my own ideas about its origin, what do you guys think? Until it arrives this is the only photo' I have.

[Gavin Nugent]

Well it looks signed above the peg hole I think it will grade up very well when polished....African hey..... :p

[David R]

Well it looks signed above the peg hole I think it will grade up very well when polished....African hey..... :p
I didn't spot the signature, but when I had another look...hmm. Until this arrives my heart is in my mouth . And when it does, I am off to the Armouries for Ian Bottomly to have a look at it. Even if it turns out to be repro, I paid a bargain price for it.
It has just arrived, my hands shook so much with excitement I could barely open the parcel.
Absolute classic triangular section, and even traces of red laquer in the groove along the wide face. Even now sharp as a carving knife down the cutting edges. And yes, signed above the peg hole, but illegible so no copy to post.
Overall length 245 ml. max width 23 ml. tang length 130 ml.
I am not going to do anything to it 'till Ian or one of the other conservators has seen it.
It might still be a repro, though I don't think so. See what the expert think, and more pics posted when I have them.

[Richard G]

If "African" hadn't been mentioned I would have been thinking East Asian. Japan, China, Siam, somewhere like that.
Regards
Richard

[David R]

Actually there is no doubt that it is a Japanese style Yari, or lance head. The vendor had no idea what it was, and guessed at African. The only questions really are is it old and Japanese made or is it a reproduction from elsewhere.

[Lew]

Is there a n inscription on the tang? The other way to tell if it is a repro is have the it polished there should be a hamon running along the edge if it does than you have the real deal.

[David R]

Hi, it does have an inscription on the tang, but not clear enough for me to copy it out. I am reluctant to do any work on it till I have had it looked at by a knowledgable person in the field . In this area of collecting it is all to easy to get it wrong when cleaning or polishing a piece. I do know that they are very fussy indeed about the tangs of original Japanese blades, and 5 minutes with a wire brush or wire wool can knock a lot of the value off. It is I believe a modest piece, but as possibly a genuine Nihonto, one I am going to be carefull with.

[G. McCormack]

Nice genuine piece David, good find

[David R]

Took it into the Armouries, and had it looked at by Mr. Bottomly.....genuine, horseman's yari, signed by a swordsmith called Kanahissi, who was working in the 1680s. Probably had the tang cut down to make it into a yari tanto. Wahoo.....!