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Old 31st July 2013, 04:47 PM   #5
fernando
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Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Portugal
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Thanks for your comments, Gentlemen.
... which, together with an opinion from a local famous collector and after some couple hours browsing the Web on the subject, i am inclined to admit that the two pieces don't necessarily have to be a pair, opening the doors for other inferrements on their use.
I concur with the gaff theory; in this case a gaff for tuna capture, due to its strenght and considering this was an activity well explored in Portugal until recent techniques appeared.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6AWwLbkz8w

The other piece is still a lance for me; mind the linguistic universe in that we don't use the term spear ove here. A small rustic hunting lance for small game.
Boar lances are obviously sturdier; i guess i have one that fits into it.
So Mark, your taste for nautical stuff is not betrayed, the gaff specimen being your support ... not pirate wise, but still nautical .
... And certainly pretty rustic, nothing impeaching them to have served later as multi purpose devices. Well old, even possibly 17th century, as my local source diagnosed.
Naturaly these are only assumptions; a better (or any further) comment is always welcome.

Last edited by fernando; 31st July 2013 at 05:12 PM.
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