GAURD YOUR IRON FINCE FINALS

[FenrisWolf]

Originally Posted by A. G. Maisey

I reckon this is out of Central Jawa.

The wood and workmanship is right for there, and there are lots of old Dutch buildings , some even now still have old fences with either forged or cast finials.

Rather an amusing evolution, though. The decorative finials recall a time when sharpened spear heads were mounted on the top of much higher walls to help discourage the revolting peasants from, well, revolting. So here we have a cast iron finial with no real function beyond decoration being converted to its original function, a weapon. Not a very good weapon, mind you, but I imagine having it stiffly thrust into the belly or ribs would get one's attention....

Fenris

[tom hyle]

Of course those fence finials are based on real spears, in greater or lesser degree; do we have reason to think this a casting? What's up with that crack? Does anyone here own this piece? Can we get a feild report?

[Bill M]

Obviously a nice little push dagger. No doubt it would cause wound trauma!

I agree with kronkew, I like the wood also.

[Battara]

The wood looks like Timoho wood from Bali. Rare stuff now.

[A. G. Maisey]

Timoho, yes. From Bali? Who knows? But unlikely, very, very unlikely.Timoho comes from other places as well, and the workmanship of this cover bears Javanese characteristics.

Yes, these fence finials can definitely cause severe injury. I can recall several cases of accidental impalation---is that a word?--- and going back 45-50 years the police in a major north-west country town in my state in Australia , had the reputation of lifting inebriated kooris above the townhall fence ---which had these type of finials--- and dropping them onto it. At least one death was attributed to this action; nothing was ever proven, of course.

[tom hyle]

ouch!