Identify halberd

[bvieira]

Hello,

I have this Halberd in my colection, ir was found in mozambique, ir has the portuguese coat of arms, anybody has seen another similar ?

Tks.

Regards,

BV


.

[fernando]

Benvindo ao forum, BV .
Interesting halberd. I wonder why this sort of thing was found Mozambique . It should have been be used by the Royal guards of one of the Portuguese Kings . Not an early combat weapon, but certainly one used for escorts, parades or Palace guards.
It is not the same style has seen in the entrance of Palacio da Ajuda, though.
I am sorry i can not be of greater help .

.

[bvieira]

Originally Posted by fernando

Benvindo ao forum, BV .
Interesting halberd. I wonder why this sort of thing was found Mozambique . It should have been be used by the Royal guards of one of the Portuguese Kings . Not an early combat weapon, but certainly one used for escorts, parades or Palace guards.
It is not the same style has seen in the entrance of Palacio da Ajuda, though.
I am sorry i can not be of greater help .

.

Hello Fernando,

The person i bought it was a road enginner in the years 40/50 , he was building a road near Sofala in mozambique, he Said to me that sometimes old portuguese swords, canons and all kiind of stuff appear near a fortification in the low Tide.

http://fortalezas.org/index.php?ct=f...fortaleza=1010

This One he Said he bought from a Native , he had this Halberd and several swords and guns.

The ones in the picture you show i know the model i have One bought in a auction.

Tks.

Best regards,

BV

[fernando]

Thank you for the info and for the link to the Sofala fortification. Probably all arms and other stuff found by the natives around the area were not result of ship wrecks but because the fort was gradually invaded by the sea, spreading its remnants all over.
I have been in Mozambique between 1969-1974, stayed in various regions but have never been close to this area.
But having this fort being built beg. XVI century, your halberd would date from a much later period, during which part of the fortification was already in ruins, although still strong enough to defend one last assault in 1836.
Which role this halberd played until the fort was abandoned around 1900, would be interesting to know; this assuming that it was part of the fort armory.
Judging by the short langets and guessing that its blades are not sharpened (?) it could have been a symbolic/command weapon, like that of a sergeant; as naturally in this remote fort no Royal guard parades or escorts would have taken place.
But of course i am only speculating.

[fernando]

Meanwhile i have gathered further information on halberds of this period.
Important to know whether they are forged or cast; that would define whether they are from the realm of Queen Dona Maria II (XIX century) when of cast iron, or Queen Dona Maria I or Prince Regent Dom João (end XVIII century) when forged.
The distinction between both raw materials would be that, if being cast iron, a magnet hardly (or doesn't even) sticks to it and you may notice the (sand) casting grain; whether if it is forged iron, the magnet sticks perfectly as you can hardly stick it out, with a smooth face and thinner/sharper edges, and of lighter weight.
The less perfect engraving of the coat of arms would mean that this was not a Kings Guard halberd but a Guard of some important personality, like the Governor of Mozambique or one of the Brazilian States. The shape of the blade, when of the Kings Guards, is rather different, with its two opposite "half moons" as shown in previous post; the Royal crest together with the initials of the King or Regent, are finely engraved, and never of cast iron.
On the other hand, you may not discard the possibility that your halberd was made in the overseas.
.

[bvieira]

Originally Posted by fernando

Meanwhile i have gathered further information on halberds of this period.
Important to know whether they are forged or cast; that would define whether they are from the realm of Queen Dona Maria II (XIX century) when of cast iron, or Queen Dona Maria I or Prince Regent Dom João (end XVIII century) when forged.
The distinction between both raw materials would be that, if being cast iron, a magnet hardly (or doesn't even) sticks to it and you may notice the (sand) casting grain; whether if it is forged iron, the magnet sticks perfectly as you can hardly stick it out, with a smooth face and thinner/sharper edges, and of lighter weight.
The less perfect engraving of the coat of arms would mean that this was not a Kings Guard halberd but a Guard of some important personality, like the Governor of Mozambique or one of the Brazilian States. The shape of the blade, when of the Kings Guards, is rather different, with its two opposite "half moons" as shown in previous post; the Royal crest together with the initials of the King or Regent, are finely engraved, and never of cast iron.
On the other hand, you may not discard the possibility that your halberd was made in the overseas.
.

Hello Fernando,

Tks for the information, i would check with the magnet but i'am pretty sure it's cast iron and in my opinion i really think it was made in Mozambique.

One interesting thing is the coat of arms, if you notice this coat of arms is not very common, the circular shape can be related with D.Joao VI, i found a similar coat of arms in a canon in the army museum in Lisbon.

Regards,

BV