Carolinian spear

[Lee]

Congratulations! I believe that you are correct in your identification of the form and the patina is convincing. I do not recall having encountered the thickened tip before in the limited number of these that I have handled.

It should be dry from the decades spent in the box. If it is not actively flaking or showing active corrosion, then drying it (in a very low temperature oven or by soaking in anhydrous isopropyl alcohol followed by acetone) and then sealing it with Paraloid B72 (which can be dissolved by acetone) or lacquer (less straightforward to remove) might suffice. You could also just coat it with quality wax. If there is active corrosion, then a series of long soaks in alkalinized distilled water to remove harmful anions might be advisable. I used to have a set of instructions, but cannot locate it at the moment.

I wish such artifacts as this would show up in my nearby garage sales