A 19th century American boarding pike

M ELEY · 17th May 2021, 11:04 PM

The pike was indeed an austere plain-Jane when it comes to weapons, but still had a lot of character!

Rick · 17th May 2021, 11:38 PM

Arrrrr, now don't be tellin' tell me ye picked that up at a Yaaard Sale Mate.

Great find!

M ELEY · 18th May 2021, 12:00 AM

Thanks, Rick! Likewise, your trove of pikes,spears and polearms on your recent threat is amazing! Remember me in your will, buddy!

Rick · 18th May 2021, 12:13 AM

Would that they were mine, Mark.

I picked up that image with no information included and my curiosity was piqued so I thought I'd put them up to get an idea of their age, type and origin from our membership.

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

17th May 2021, 11:04 PM	#1
M ELEY Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: NC, U.S.A. Posts: 2,156	More pics... The pike was indeed an austere plain-Jane when it comes to weapons, but still had a lot of character! Attached Images Last edited by M ELEY; 17th May 2021 at 11:05 PM. Reason: Added comment

18th May 2021, 12:13 AM	#4
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,339	I Wish Would that they were mine, Mark. I picked up that image with no information included and my curiosity was piqued so I thought I'd put them up to get an idea of their age, type and origin from our membership.

18th May 2021, 12:06 AM	#5
Lee EAAF Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Upstate New York, USA Posts: 937	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.)

17th May 2021, 11:38 PM	#2
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,339	Arrrrr, now don't be tellin' tell me ye picked that up at a Yaaard Sale Mate. Great find!

18th May 2021, 12:00 AM	#3
M ELEY Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: NC, U.S.A. Posts: 2,156	Thanks, Rick! Likewise, your trove of pikes,spears and polearms on your recent threat is amazing! Remember me in your will, buddy!

18th May 2021, 12:16 AM	#6
M ELEY Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: NC, U.S.A. Posts: 2,156	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	#7
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,281	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	#8
M ELEY Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: NC, U.S.A. Posts: 2,156	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	#9
CutlassCollector Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Scotland Posts: 355	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