May 27, 2020 Founders & Patriots
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 5/27/2020
A spontoon dating from the 2nd half of the 18th century of classic British form, but an American copy (attributed to workshop of William Jasper of Boston by author below, based on examination of an identical head bearing Jasper's touchmark, exhibited at the New England Antique Arm Collectors' Club Show in June 2018). Its head is 9 1/2 in. L (clear of socket) x 2 3/4 in. W, bulbous, with leaf-shaped blade set and slender crossbar, both set into an 4 1/2 inch iron socket or base with integral 11 3/4 inch-long side straps. The spontoon head is affixed to a 68 ½ inch-long, cherry haft or staff. Overall, it has the classic slender lines and relatively light weight expected of a gentleman-officer's polearm as used during this period. At Valley Forge on 22 Dec. 1777, Gen. George Washington ordered that all company officers in regiments be furnished with a spontoon or “half pike” of uniform length and the following January, it was specified that said spontoons were to have staffs of 6 ½ foot length and 1 ¼ in. width at its thickest point, with a spear of one foot length—similar to the size and form of this specimen. CONDITION: Overall very good, the metal parts have a mottled dark grey patina, while the wooden staff has a reddish brown color to it and has old varnish over the wood; there is what appears to be a stabilized crack of 5 inches length just below the side straps. JLK
Illustrated and discussed on pp. 76-77 of "For Liberty I Live."