Would you call this a lance or a pike ?

[fernando]

I wouldn't mention spear, as we don't have a strict translation for such term in Portuguese. We currently say 'lança' for lance and 'pique' for pike. We also have 'zagaia' or 'azagaia' for assegai, but that's another story.
This piece was acquired by the seller in a mannor house in the north, where noble old places with coats of arms at the entrance abund. The house keeper said it belonged to the 'house defences'. So in principle this isn't a pike, but a lance, with a butt to stick on the ground, to resist a mounted atack.
The seller remounted it in a 1,7 mt. haft, made from old used oak.
The triple S marks (symbols or letters) in both sides of the blade surely belong to owner ... probably a part of the house crest, or family name initials.
It is dated 17th century.

Fernando

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[Matchlock]

Fernando,

I would call this the remnants of a 16th to 17th century pike, thinking that the original haft was much longer. As you refer to its latest use, however, it may well have seen private re-use as a shorter lance in later times. Only one thing is clear: when the lancet iron originally belonged to a pike haft, the iron finial at the other end was not part of that original haft; it makes sense, however, in stabilizing a lance haft when put to the ground.

I also think that the S-shaped ornament does not refer to an owner. Telling by the deepness with which it was struck, the iron must have been warm and the striking must have been done by the smith, so I should rather identify it as a workshop mark in the shape of a stylized S. That might, but does not have to, mean that the gunsmith's name had the initial S. S-shaped ornament was widely in use in the Renaissance period alluding to snakes, sea monsters and the like.

Michael

[Matchlock]

I wanted to add that the habit of striking a mark or an ornament twice or three times is characteristic of Gothic and Renaisscance ironwork tradition, not only in weapons. It has to do with both stylistic reasons and the superstitious minds of those periods but was kept for long times after.

Matchlock

[fernando]

Thank you so much for your (partly unexpected) observations, Michael.
Let me digest the whole thing and be back here to confirm my understanding of yout input.
Fernando

[Jim McDougall]

Originally Posted by Matchlock

I wanted to add that the habit of striking a mark or an ornament twice or three times is characteristic of Gothic and Renaisscance ironwork tradition, not only in weapons. It has to do with both stylistic reasons and the superstitious minds of those periods but was kept for long times after.

Matchlock

Outstanding observations Matchlock! I recall seeing various forms of marking triple stamped on many occasions on sword blades, and of course the number three seems to have key symbolic connotation in many cases. It seems that I have seen blades even with four stamps repeated (I believe it was a Wundes blade with four kings heads). In the case of hallmarks these were often stamped in groups with guild, maker, city together in a grouping, but it seems sometimes there were repeated stamps. Lots of notes on these markings and practices with them, but far from complete!

In recently reading through material concerning pattern welded blades there is often reference to snakes or serpents alluding to the imagery of the pattern seen in the blade. I wonder if that connotation might have been adapted into a symbolism for quality in the product, in this case the lance or pike head. Just a thought, and the origins and symbolism of the markings on weapons has always intriqued me. Whatever the case, these triple 'S' marks are deliberate, so certainly stand for something.

All the best,
Jim

[Ed]

"S" or Snake. In a largely illiterate society, a symbol makes more sense. Gotta check some references.

[Gavin Nugent]

The "S" seems consistant in grouping only with those previously found on Nimchas and those cuban machetes mentioned in past postings from memory.....is there a link???

Gav