Three VERY INTERESTING Burmese Spears

CharlesS · 23rd January 2011, 03:23 PM

I admit that I love spears from all over the world, but these 3 Burmese pieces are among some of the most fabulously unique and elegant that I have ever seen from anywhere. I believe they are all 18th-to early 19th century.

Each spear is around 9ft tall, all mounted with a variety of silver sleeves and "bulbs" that have been individually fitted into knotched portions of the lacquered wooden hafts. The heads are steel or iron. two of the heads have graceful knife-like blades, while one is more elongated with a central ridge....all are razor sharp. The spears all have iron butts that are very similar though one is very well chieselled.

Note that one has an inscription in the silver closer to the butt.

Enjoy!

Andrew · 23rd January 2011, 03:28 PM

I noticed these on Ashoka. Very interesting. Congrats, Charles.

Battara · 23rd January 2011, 07:02 PM

So much metal (silver?) all the way down the shafts!

Nathaniel · 23rd January 2011, 07:13 PM

Beautiful Charles! Congratulations and thanks so much for sharing! Something you don't see often. As Battara said, wow ...silver covered pretty much the entire shaft...at 9 feet long!!!!

And it's also interesting to see the Gold/Brass??? band...and copper band near the spear head and the counter weight at the opposite end.

CharlesS · 23rd January 2011, 07:16 PM

Don't get too excited Battara, it's a very low grade silver, but makes sense for this sort of use. I'd imagine that sheets of better silver would be in shreds on these. You can even see a few places where the silver sleeves have been repaired with an overlapping sleeve of 1-4 inches. One spear has three such places.

Nathaniel · 23rd January 2011, 07:22 PM

Also what I think is interesting is the knife like spear head on two of them?!?!?!

Battara · 23rd January 2011, 07:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CharlesS

Don't get too excited Battara, it's a very low grade silver, but makes sense for this sort of use. I'd imagine that sheets of better silver would be in shreds on these. You can even see a few places where the silver sleeves have been repaired with an overlapping sleeve of 1-4 inches. One spear has three such places.

Well not surprising. Often done since precious metals are expensive (and insanely so now with gold above $1300/oz!).

CharlesS · 23rd January 2011, 07:39 PM

I think that knife like blades are found on some Chinese pole arms, but I am not 100% sure.

Certainly the one in the center is more of what we might expect from Burma or Thailand. That spearhead is scary, razor sharp.

23rd January 2011, 03:23 PM	#1
CharlesS Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Greenville, NC Posts: 1,857	Three VERY INTERESTING Burmese Spears I admit that I love spears from all over the world, but these 3 Burmese pieces are among some of the most fabulously unique and elegant that I have ever seen from anywhere. I believe they are all 18th-to early 19th century. Each spear is around 9ft tall, all mounted with a variety of silver sleeves and "bulbs" that have been individually fitted into knotched portions of the lacquered wooden hafts. The heads are steel or iron. two of the heads have graceful knife-like blades, while one is more elongated with a central ridge....all are razor sharp. The spears all have iron butts that are very similar though one is very well chieselled. Note that one has an inscription in the silver closer to the butt. Enjoy! Attached Images

23rd January 2011, 03:28 PM	#2
Andrew Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: USA Posts: 1,725	I noticed these on Ashoka. Very interesting. Congrats, Charles.

23rd January 2011, 07:02 PM	#3
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,220	So much metal (silver?) all the way down the shafts!

23rd January 2011, 07:13 PM	#4
Nathaniel Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 865	Beautiful Charles! Congratulations and thanks so much for sharing! Something you don't see often. As Battara said, wow ...silver covered pretty much the entire shaft...at 9 feet long!!!! And it's also interesting to see the Gold/Brass??? band...and copper band near the spear head and the counter weight at the opposite end.

23rd January 2011, 07:16 PM	#5
CharlesS Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Greenville, NC Posts: 1,857	Don't get too excited Battara, it's a very low grade silver, but makes sense for this sort of use. I'd imagine that sheets of better silver would be in shreds on these. You can even see a few places where the silver sleeves have been repaired with an overlapping sleeve of 1-4 inches. One spear has three such places.

23rd January 2011, 07:22 PM	#6
Nathaniel Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 865	Also what I think is interesting is the knife like spear head on two of them?!?!?!

23rd January 2011, 07:39 PM	#8
CharlesS Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Greenville, NC Posts: 1,857	I think that knife like blades are found on some Chinese pole arms, but I am not 100% sure. Certainly the one in the center is more of what we might expect from Burma or Thailand. That spearhead is scary, razor sharp.