Item Description
Original Item: Only One Available. This is a lovely and rare American Revolutionary War or War spontoon head, which we assume was used on the Colonial Side, due to its crude construction. While sometimes effective at removing an opposing soldier from his horse, the spontoon pole arm was not so much a weapon as it was a sign of rank used by Sergeants and other N.C.O.s.
This was a tradition dating back hundreds of years before the introduction of firearms. Its real purpose in combat was to show the soldiers "on the line" where their commander was in all the smoke and confusion. Often standing seven or eight feet tall it was easily identified by the men in that unit.
This example measures 11¾” overall and is of fantastically crude construction, exactly how you would want to see a colonial-made example. The pike head is 7” long and the “crossguard” is 3⅝” across, one side being ornamented with dots. The bottom of the pike also has some dots. The back of the spontoon head shows the crude method of wrapping the iron around the shaft, leaving a large section open. There is a small hole on the solid side for affixation.
Condition overall is very good, with a lovely aged patina on the metal components, showing that they have been well cared for over the past 200+ years. Definitely a solid head.
One of the most American-looking spontoon heads we’ve offered, ready for further research and display!
- This product is available for international shipping.
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