Conquistador lance? Something else?

[coachbedford]

My first post on here with pics, so I hope I don't mess it up royally. Found this in a ravine in coastal California. Initially assumed it was a 19th century iron fence post-- but standing it up it doesn't even reach my knee cap. Then I saw a pic of a conquistador lance ferrule found in context of the Coronado expedition in the southwest-- and it had a familiar resemblance (though not identical) to this piece.

About a foot long I would say. It fits neatly laying diagonally on an 8 1/2 by 11 sheet of paper.

Anybody here have thoughts from the pics? Much thanks!

 

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[Smithbrown]

Too big a ferrule to be a lance-head; looks much more like something connected with fencing.

 

[DCMatt]

Possibly the remains of an early high voltage insulator spindle?

DCMatt

 

[HenryWaltonJonesJr]

The lance shaft would have been made entirely of wood (usually ash), just the vamplate (the hand protector) would be iron. Could it be some sort of architectural embellishment?

 

[coachbedford]

After seeing pics of insulator spindles I thought 'Oh no.. that just might be it!" But aren't those typically made of steel, thus they wouldn't rust like that? I could be wrong.

A fencing type weapon-- THAT's intriguing, and it does have that kinda look.

As for architectural embellishment, can't rule that out either considering the kind of ornamentation-like design on the bulky part. I guess as far as it being part of a lance, my thought was maybe the spike-y part would insert into a long wood shaft and the bulky part might be the grip handle??

 

[Terry Soloman]

It's just an old iron fennial. I do like your imagination though.

 

[coachbedford]

That was my very first inclination....but then massive pic googling didn't bring up a match. Then I came upon "Kuykendall Ruins" website, and the Spanish iron ferrule the archaeologist is holding up looks just about as close to my piece as those antique fennials. So, until I find that matching pic, I am open to innumerable possibilities. But I do appreciate all weigh-ins!

 

[bigfoot1]

the two areas I considered when I saw it were torch sconce...


and fence finial..... ...interesting piece and possibly may never be nailed down with certainty

cheers

 

[Smithbrown]

No, I did not mean a fencing weapon; I meant fencing as in what encloses property. I think you have to start reconciling yourself to it not being any sort of weapon.

 

[coachbedford]

Would never rule out iron fence post as a decent possibility ... but WAY too early to reconcile. Especially with 16th to 17th century woodcuts like you see here (see BurningClam.Com) which look even more convincing.