Edged Weapons
Revolutionary War Period Hessian Iron Halberd Head
c. 1770 Revolutionary War Period, Hessian (German/British Mercenary) Wrought-Iron Halberd Head, Fine.
This rare style American Revolutionary War Period Halberd Head measures about 18" long and consists of Hand-forged Iron styled in an aggressive, curved shaped with its folded Iron handle into which a long wooden Halberd Pole/Staff measuring about 5 to 6 feet long would have been inserted. These were used by the Hessian British Mercenaries in great effect against mounted cavalry dragoons. This example is an original, with completely coverage of a heavy natural patina that has never been either polished or conserved. Marked with an indecipherable letter or number followed by the letter "A". A small hairline stress crack in the iron is noted on the outer edge about 5.5" back from the tip. Heavy and impressive.
A Halberd, also spelled halbert or halbard, weapon consisting of an ax blade balanced by a pick with an elongated pike head at the end of the staff. It was usually about 1.5 to 1.8 metres (5 to 6 feet) long.
The halberd was an important weapon in middle Europe from the 14th through the 16th century, their style remaining in use through the American Revolutionary War. It enabled a foot soldier to contend with an armoured man on horseback; the pike head was used to keep the horseman at a distance, and the ax blade could strike a heavy cleaving blow to finish the opponent. The blades of halberds took on a variety of shapes, often being engraved or inlaid and exquisitely finished as works of art. Concurrently with the disuse of armour and the development of firearms, the pike, or thrusting element, gradually displaced the cleaving element in such weapons. In some of the burghs of Scotland, the halberd is retained as the symbol of authority borne before the magistrates on public occasions.