Hi DD,
dating spears is notoriously difficult. I can say that I've noticed many recent (50 years or so) Zulu spears tend to have copper wire binding which still has the coloured insulation still on it, I understand that they used telephone wiring.
The various bindings used (leather, rawhide, reed, iron wrapping etc) does not seem to be chronologically relavent either, I suspect that differing regions had their favourites or used what was available 'at the time'.
The head looks to be well forged and finished and the shaft lacks hammer marks and looks to be very round. I think, perhaps the head/shaft was forged from a piece of manufactured round bar, the problem is, this still could date it from the 19c.
It seems that the provenance (accurate and truthful) of a spear is one of the only true ways of aging a spear.
Another problem, especially with Zulu spears is the artifical aging that goes on. To increase their value to unsuspecting buyers.
