What's the deal with this halberd?

[paulb104]

Hello all!

Over twenty years ago this halberd was bought for me by an experienced antique dealer (who admittedly didn't know squat about weapons). I do not know where it was bought from. A story came with it, which I'll withhold for the moment.

Might any of you know anything about this weapon? There is a quite large ...hallmark?... on one side of the blade that sort of looks like a scorpion. Within seems to be a plus sign and the letter B.

The blade is still edged, but not necessarily sharp. I definitely would not want this thing falling on me.

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

Treasure of Victoria Peak - Grab it through Amazon!

[smokeythecat]

I'd say that's a cross over the letter "B".

 

[Charlie P. (NY)]

The style is actually called a "Bill".

 

[Tony in SC]

The ones that I have seen (which is very few) have a longer spike. This one may have been ceremonial? It does look very old worm holes and all.

 

[A2coins]

Pretty freakin cool I wouldnt want that falling on me either.

 

[Retired Sarge]

Quoted from the following: Scroll down to the two Thomas Del Mar catalogues. They are PDFs and I have no ideal how or if I can post them to this. So the "Cross B Scorpion" Smith's Stamp is an Italian marking.

https://www.google.com/search?q=Cro...ju09-6mabgAhUGba0KHdHPAUsQ_AUoAHoECAAQAg#ip=1

........stamped with a large scorpion mark charged with a cross and the letter ‘B’ on one side........The scorpion mark frequently occurs on Italian 16th Century hafted weapons and is also featured in Italian frescoes of the period. A similar halberd struck with the same mark is recorded in the Marzoli collection, no. MCJ21 and a falchion with the same mark is preserved in the Stibbert Museum, Florence, cat. no. 488. See L.G. Boccia and E. T. Coelho 1975, no. 254 and A. V. B. Norman..........

 

[paulb104]

Quoted from the following: Scroll down to the two Thomas Del Mar catalogues. They are PDFs and I have no ideal how or if I can post them to this. So the "Cross B Scorpion" Smith's Stamp is an Italian marking.

https://www.google.com/search?q=Cro...ju09-6mabgAhUGba0KHdHPAUsQ_AUoAHoECAAQAg#ip=1

........stamped with a large scorpion mark charged with a cross and the letter ‘B’ on one side........The scorpion mark frequently occurs on Italian 16th Century hafted weapons and is also featured in Italian frescoes of the period. A similar halberd struck with the same mark is recorded in the Marzoli collection, no. MCJ21 and a falchion with the same mark is preserved in the Stibbert Museum, Florence, cat. no. 488. See L.G. Boccia and E. T. Coelho 1975, no. 254 and A. V. B. Norman..........

Here's the catalog. Do a search for scorpion, or scroll to page 74 of the pdf (66 in the book).

 

[paulb104]

The scorpion mark is also mentioned in this book from 1915.

 

[ARC]

Not a "scorpion" mark.

What you have in my opinion is an Italian polearm bill or 'Roncone'.

Will reference my library later if you wish.

Here is a similar marking in this assortment...

 

[ARC]

Actually... after thinking about my post for a minute...

It has been a long time since I have researched an item like this and it dawned on me...

I am as rusty as your item :P ...

What you actually may have is... MAY be... what is called a "glaive".

So... let me retrace my steps earlier.

 

[ARC]

Tis a bill.

MORE COFFEE NEEDED> !

here is yours.

 

[ARC]

BTW... SUPER cool piece.

And a bit of info for you to absorb on it...

The Bill

With a tradition going back to the Viking Age, the bill is commonly regarded as the national weapon of the English both during and beyond the medieval period, although it was used elsewhere in Europe, particularly Italy. As with many polearms, the bill developed from an agricultural tool, the billhook, and displayed a hooked chopping blade with several protruding spikes, including a pronounced spike at the top of the haft, resembling a spearhead. The bill also had a strong hook for dismounting cavalry. Used skillfully, it could snag onto any loose clothing or armor and wrench the target from his horse and throw him to the ground. English bills tended to be shorter with the emphasis more on the chopping action of the blade, while Italian bills had a very long spiked end, resulting in its use as a thrusting weapon.

Yours being the latter... Italian as I stated earlier.

 

[paulb104]

Not a "scorpion" mark.

What you have in my opinion is an Italian polearm bill or 'Roncone'.

Will reference my library later if you wish.

Here is a similar marking in this assortment...

View attachment 1678006

All the reference material, including what seems to be the noted book on the subject Hafted Weapons in Medieval and Renaissance Europe, calls it a scorpion mark. I can access that book at scribd.com but since I am not a paying member cannot I read the book. scribd.com does let you search in the book. These are the results for a search of "scorpion"

1. collection. Fig. 64. Italian “scorpion” of about 1530. Note that althoug
2. is shown in the detail photo of the scorpion mark. Courtesy of the Metropolitan Muse
3. but made a transition via the “scorpion” form, which was indeed a powerfu
4. down to the beak-spike. Note the scorpion mark. Private collection. Fig. 62. Larg
5. Fischer, Lucerne. Fig. 64. Italian “scorpion” of about 1530. Note that although the
6. is shown in the detail photo of the scorpion mark. Courtesy of the Metropolitan Muse
7. exists with a similar form called a “Scorpion,” so named because it bears a scorpion
8. so named because it bears a scorpion mark (fig. 64). The scorpion, howeve
9. bears a scorpion mark (fig. 64). The scorpion, however, has a less massive blad
10. century including the well-known “scorpion” mark also found on Italian roncones an
11. 163 Schön 16 Schorno 61, 87 Schwyz 21 scorpion 34, 67–68, 69, 109 Scottish Acts 195 Sc

No doubt items 2 and 6 are referring to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in Manhattan. I think the next time I have a trip planned to NYC (I visit fairly regularly) I will contact them prior to see if I can meet with the someone from the Arms and Armor department and take the bill with me.

 

[Smithbrown]

Page 240 and on...https://archive.org/details/inventorysurveyo01ffou/page/240 Tower of London catalogue.

 

[paulb104]

Page 240 and on...https://archive.org/details/inventorysurveyo01ffou/page/240 Tower of London catalogue.

Well the Tower of London book is a similar bill but quite a different scorpion mark.