Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post

Matchlock · 15th January 2011, 06:11 PM

Hi Jasper,

I have to agree with Fernando: this is a beautiful piece indeed. I, too, like Fernando, prefer calling it a lance (Spiess), length ca. 2,20-3,0 m.
'Pike', on the contrary, usually means a long lance (Langspieß), ca. 4,60 to 6.0 m overall in length.

Congratulations on your perfect historic documentation as well. Your Landsknecht Spiess is clearly of North Italian type, early 16th century and in perfect patina. The both zoomorphic and apotropaic monster's head first appears on the muzzles of cannon and then on Landsknecht arquebuses. As they clearly represent fire spitting dragons or sea monsters, I would not call them gryphons.

Best,
Michael

15th January 2011, 06:11 PM	#5
Matchlock (deceased) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking Posts: 4,310	Hi Jasper, I have to agree with Fernando: this is a beautiful piece indeed. I, too, like Fernando, prefer calling it a lance (Spiess), length ca. 2,20-3,0 m. 'Pike', on the contrary, usually means a long lance (Langspieß), ca. 4,60 to 6.0 m overall in length. Congratulations on your perfect historic documentation as well. Your Landsknecht Spiess is clearly of North Italian type, early 16th century and in perfect patina. The both zoomorphic and apotropaic monster's head first appears on the muzzles of cannon and then on Landsknecht arquebuses. As they clearly represent fire spitting dragons or sea monsters, I would not call them gryphons. Best, Michael Attached Images