How to date an old pitchfork

[Lexicon Devil]

Hey everyone,
I dug this up about an hour ago, and I have no idea how (if at all) one can determine the relative time frame of these things. If anyone can lead me in the right direction or let me know outright, that'd be great!

 

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[SkaBa]

Very cool find.

 

[BosnMate]

That's hard to tell, the oldest ones were probably made of wood. If you can tell if it's been forge welded by a blacksmith, then that would show some age. It also could have been
brazed in a forge, and sometimes you can tell that was how it was made, but beyond that, I think it would be very hard to do a time line.

 

[Back-of-the-boat]

Needs preserved, that is a very cool piece never seen that style.

 

[sutphin]

I dated an ole pitch fork one time and I am still paying for it ,wait I mean your pitch is neat like BOTB said never seen that style,vanzutphen

 

[Lexicon Devil]

I'm attempting to figure this all out. Sadly there are no classification images like they have for axe heads. For a clue, can anyone of y'all tell me what the base is called?

 

[MuckyBottles]

I date my pitchfork all the time, she treats me well..o wait..

The thing your holding doesn't look like a pitchfork per se it looks like a hay/manure fork

 

[Lexicon Devil]

Pedantic silliness.

At least the classification is a start

 

[ARC]

Also reminds me of a Frog "gig"... heh

This is modern version...

 

[Back-of-the-boat]

I'm attempting to figure this all out. Sadly there are no classification images like they have for axe heads. For a clue, can anyone of y'all tell me what the base is called?

When you are saying base I am assuming you are talking about the shaft that goes in the handle? If so I think it is a tang like on a knife.

 

[stefen]

I dated an ole pitch fork one time and I am still paying for it ,wait I mean your pitch is neat like BOTB said never seen that style,vanzutphen

That's ole *****e fork, with the emphasis on Ole...

 

[Lexicon Devil]

yeah...that!

 

[Lexicon Devil]

That's ole *****e fork, with the emphasis on Ole...

Im trying to figure out what the expletive deleted is. Clue?

 

[ARC]

"The pitchfork got its name from its use in pitching bundles.
True pitchforks had two or three tines.
Forks with four or more tines were not designed to pitch bundles and, technically speaking, were not pitchforks.
They were called simply forks or manure forks.
If the tines were spread widely apart, the fork was known as a barley fork or straw."

 

[tamrock]

To me it looks like something made in the late 19th to early 20th century. It looks hand forged and well made and I would guess it would even have a makers stamp on it if that's not completely rusted away. I think it's a gig spear for frogs or fish?. Antique eel, frog and fish gigs are collectible and some of my antique books even list examples of the 19th century types. They fall in to the category of fishing collectibles. I would smile if I found that item.