November 15 & 16, 2022 Extraordinary Firearms & Militaria
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 11/15/2022
After the secession of Virginia, the Federal Army marched through Baltimore heading south in order to coerce the southern states back into the Union by force. Amidst the outrage caused by the passage of the 6th Massachusetts through the city of Baltimore, on April 19, 1861, the city's police commissioner, Marshall Kane, instigated a contract with Ross Winan, proprietor of a local ironworks, to supply the city with pikes for the city's future defense against the "Yankee invaders". Although these pikes were manufactured by Ross Winan, they are sometimes referred to as Marshal Kane pikes. At the time, Baltimore's citizens were pro-southern, some of whom were eager to draw the first blood of the Civil War. Winan immediately began crafting these pikes as they needed to be handed out to the eager citizens as soon as possible. Since they were made in such haste, these pikes are very crude and scarcely 2 of them were alike. However, they all bear the same configuration, that being a double edged wrought-iron head in the form of a peach leaf. The tangs were fitted to 8' hafts and secured by a thick iron ferrule. This example is in the correct configuration, exhibiting all of these characteristics, with the exception of the haft which has been shortened and measures approximately 6 - 5/8" including the ferrule. The blade is approximately 9 - 1/2" and there is a portion missing from the tip. CONDITION: Blade exhibits pitting, deep in some areas, as well as typical forging flaws. The blade's dark patina matches it to an identical shade of the haft. Chips along the double edges. There are several cracks in the haft, all originating from the ferrule with the largest measuring just over 3". Overall fair, considering the pike was not dug which would then make it relic. This pike is featured on pg. 102 in "Arms Makers of Maryland".
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