Spear, how old and where from?

[Matchlock]

Originally Posted by Jim McDougall

Hello Goran,
Welcome to the forum...vad trevligt att traffas!!!!
I agree that this does appear to be European. This shaft weapon appears to be a pike, although I have yet to find a corresponding head shape to this one. Are there attaching langets along the shaft to secure socket?
The collar between the socket and blade seems to suggest possibly a Swiss pike, however these early examples seem to have favored a leaf shape blade.
The smaller, triangular head suggests a pike rather than spontoons which usually had larger leaf shape heads to more flamboyant profiled shapes.

If there are slightly raised fixtures along the langets (if present) this could also possibly be a lance.

Without the shaft it is hard to tell whether this might have been an infantry pike or a boarding pike, which were of course much shorter. It seems quite old, nicely aged and looks like a great example.

Very best regards,
Jim

Hi Jim and Goran,


It was only today that I found this older thread.

Jim, you are right of course and Goran's item should be addressed as a late-16th c. North Italian or probably Austrian pike.

The haft would originally have measured ca. 4,50 - 5 m in length.



For more on European pikes please see

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ighlight=pikes

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pike_%28weapon%29



Best,
Michael