baton/club

Tim Simmons · 29th July 2007, 04:51 PM

I thought it far too clever, well practised and above all prestigious for a sailors work killing time. knotting and most of all knot design forms {look at west Africa and Kuba} are not exclusively maritime. I might be pressed into a different opinion

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kronckew · 29th July 2007, 05:29 PM

it does look a lot like a bosun's 'starter' which was a rope end used to 'encourage' a slow seaman to work faster, and was almost a badge of office. these were frequently embellished with fancy marlinspike knotwork and tarred. the monkey's fist at the end was frequently made up around a spherical core object like a musket ball to add 'authority'. the example in the ebay does appear to be similar to such knotwork, but in wood.

here is a related example, as 'starters' are now illegal to use for us poor sailor types, this one is a bell pull for a ships bell.....

Tim Simmons · 29th July 2007, 06:49 PM

Yes indeed. As such I would imagine it is rather rare and hence the price.

Tim Simmons · 30th July 2007, 08:07 PM

I still think this is African. knots are symbolic world wide.

29th July 2007, 04:51 PM	#1
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,843	I thought it far too clever, well practised and above all prestigious for a sailors work killing time. knotting and most of all knot design forms {look at west Africa and Kuba} are not exclusively maritime. I might be pressed into a different opinion .

29th July 2007, 05:29 PM	#2
kronckew Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Room 101, Glos. UK Posts: 4,215	it does look a lot like a bosun's 'starter' which was a rope end used to 'encourage' a slow seaman to work faster, and was almost a badge of office. these were frequently embellished with fancy marlinspike knotwork and tarred. the monkey's fist at the end was frequently made up around a spherical core object like a musket ball to add 'authority'. the example in the ebay does appear to be similar to such knotwork, but in wood. here is a related example, as 'starters' are now illegal to use for us poor sailor types, this one is a bell pull for a ships bell.....

29th July 2007, 06:49 PM	#3
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,843	Yes indeed. As such I would imagine it is rather rare and hence the price.

30th July 2007, 08:07 PM	#4
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,843	I still think this is African. knots are symbolic world wide.