A 19th century American boarding pike

Lee · 18th May 2021, 12:06 AM

I must say that I like the bulbous swelling on the end and the elegant tapering of the shaft. I acquired a pike with a very similar head, but a pole of uniform diameter with white and black paint in the early 1980s at a gun show in Georgia. The seller said that he had gotten it at Flayderman's and that it had come from a refitting of the Constitution. It seemed so expensive at the time - if I remember correctly it set me back about $300. (I'll post a picture of it in a few days.)

M ELEY · 18th May 2021, 12:16 AM

Thank you, Lee, for posting pics of your pike when you can! It does sound like it is War of 1812 era that pre-dated the swell at the end of the pole. I know many of the pikes from that era "came from the Constitution" as Bannermann loved to advertise in his catalog. Undoubtedly, some of them did when they de-commissioned the weapons. Now if you had paperwork to prove that provenance...

Ahh, Rick, you had me going there!!! I see some great early 19th c. pikes in that grouping! Also, some British Lancer's, etc. Whoever he is, he's a lucky bloke!

Jim McDougall · 18th May 2021, 12:58 AM

Cap,n, This is amazing!! and what displays! (you know that basket hilt gets my Drambuie bubblin')

What ship is the model?

What have you on this amazing pike so far?

M ELEY · 18th May 2021, 03:20 AM

Hello Jim! ha, snagged you with the Scottish basket! Actually, I just forgot to move it out of the way when I was snapping pics. That ship model is the HMS Surprise, one of my favs from reading. Unfortunately, I don't have any of the history for this pike. I know firmly that it is American and mid-century. It came from an elderly woman's collection of art, antiques, ephemera, erc on sale at a high end antique shop I frequent on occasion. This beast was in a back room not even open to the public, but when i mentioned to the curator my interests, he showed me. That was years ago and I finally decided to add it to the collection. That's my story!

CutlassCollector · 18th May 2021, 11:43 AM

Great display Mark. I like pikes almost as much as axes.

It must have been a lot of work to shave/turn that whole length of shaft from a diameter large enough to get all the nuances of tapering and swelling. Does that suggest that it was made in one of the naval yards? A big difference between it and the diameter of the one behind it.

CC

M ELEY · 18th May 2021, 04:39 PM

Hello, CC. Yes, these later model pikes had very hefty shafts indeed! Excellent question regarding who made the poles. One that I don't have a clue! I know you've asked this same question before in regards to boarding ax hafts. Were they made in a lathing shop on the compounds of naval yards or subletted out? If they were made by a local lathing or furnature factory, there must have been specifications to how thick, how long, etc. It would seem that they were definitely painted by the navymen using the classic paint colors of the day.

Jim McDougall · 18th May 2021, 05:03 PM

Just a question regarding the colors on these pikes, it seems there was a range of colors, black, red, white , green, ochre etc.

Is it possible that these had to do with positioning in the arms stores aboard, with colors to key areas?

I know that cannon were marked in accord with position aboard the ship, sort of a weight and balance matter, and that was one reason for the weight being marked on each gun.

While on the topic of colors, I recall reading years ago, of gun decks being painted red. Was this a genuine situation, or naval lore?

18th May 2021, 12:06 AM	#1
Lee EAAF Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Upstate New York, USA Posts: 932	Nice! I must say that I like the bulbous swelling on the end and the elegant tapering of the shaft. I acquired a pike with a very similar head, but a pole of uniform diameter with white and black paint in the early 1980s at a gun show in Georgia. The seller said that he had gotten it at Flayderman's and that it had come from a refitting of the Constitution. It seemed so expensive at the time - if I remember correctly it set me back about $300. (I'll post a picture of it in a few days.)

18th May 2021, 12:16 AM	#2
M ELEY Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: NC, U.S.A. Posts: 2,141	Thank you, Lee, for posting pics of your pike when you can! It does sound like it is War of 1812 era that pre-dated the swell at the end of the pole. I know many of the pikes from that era "came from the Constitution" as Bannermann loved to advertise in his catalog. Undoubtedly, some of them did when they de-commissioned the weapons. Now if you had paperwork to prove that provenance... Ahh, Rick, you had me going there!!! I see some great early 19th c. pikes in that grouping! Also, some British Lancer's, etc. Whoever he is, he's a lucky bloke!

18th May 2021, 12:58 AM	#3
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,190	Cap,n, This is amazing!! and what displays! (you know that basket hilt gets my Drambuie bubblin') What ship is the model? What have you on this amazing pike so far?

18th May 2021, 03:20 AM	#4
M ELEY Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: NC, U.S.A. Posts: 2,141	Hello Jim! ha, snagged you with the Scottish basket! Actually, I just forgot to move it out of the way when I was snapping pics. That ship model is the HMS Surprise, one of my favs from reading. Unfortunately, I don't have any of the history for this pike. I know firmly that it is American and mid-century. It came from an elderly woman's collection of art, antiques, ephemera, erc on sale at a high end antique shop I frequent on occasion. This beast was in a back room not even open to the public, but when i mentioned to the curator my interests, he showed me. That was years ago and I finally decided to add it to the collection. That's my story!

18th May 2021, 11:43 AM	#5
CutlassCollector Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Scotland Posts: 343	Great display Mark. I like pikes almost as much as axes. It must have been a lot of work to shave/turn that whole length of shaft from a diameter large enough to get all the nuances of tapering and swelling. Does that suggest that it was made in one of the naval yards? A big difference between it and the diameter of the one behind it. CC

18th May 2021, 04:39 PM	#6
M ELEY Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: NC, U.S.A. Posts: 2,141	Hello, CC. Yes, these later model pikes had very hefty shafts indeed! Excellent question regarding who made the poles. One that I don't have a clue! I know you've asked this same question before in regards to boarding ax hafts. Were they made in a lathing shop on the compounds of naval yards or subletted out? If they were made by a local lathing or furnature factory, there must have been specifications to how thick, how long, etc. It would seem that they were definitely painted by the navymen using the classic paint colors of the day.

18th May 2021, 05:03 PM	#7
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,190	Just a question regarding the colors on these pikes, it seems there was a range of colors, black, red, white , green, ochre etc. Is it possible that these had to do with positioning in the arms stores aboard, with colors to key areas? I know that cannon were marked in accord with position aboard the ship, sort of a weight and balance matter, and that was one reason for the weight being marked on each gun. While on the topic of colors, I recall reading years ago, of gun decks being painted red. Was this a genuine situation, or naval lore?