Famous abolitionist John Brown contracted with blacksmith Charles Blair of Collinsville, Connecticut to make several hundred pikes at $1 each. Each pike was to have a 9.50-10.00 inch double edged blade, a 4.50 inch iron guard with a 3.25 inch tapering ferrule anchored by a screw to a six foot ash pole. After making 500 of these pikes Blair halted due to non-payment. Two years later in 1859 John Brown showed up with funds in hand and purchased 954 pikes and had them shipped to Chambersburg, PA where they were forwarded to the Kennedy farm near Harper’s Ferry in what was then Virginia.

This example meets the criteria listed above in every way. It has a 6 foot wood shaft in good condition with a knob on the end opposite the blade and a worn whitewashed surface. The tapered iron ferrule is approx. 3.25 inches long and was anchored by a screw but that has been removed allowing the blade and guard to separate and for the number stamped on the blade tang to be seen. All still fits tightly together. Above the ferrule is an iron counterguard which meas. approx. 4.50 inches long. Finally, at the top, is a 9.75 inch double edged iron blade in nice condition. Both the bottom of the counterguard and the blade tang are stamped with the number “379.” All iron surfaces are dark with light surface pitting throughout. There is a little bit of a wiggle to the counterguard due to the missing screw mentioned above.

This is an exciting piece that played a part in one of the most important events of our history involving one of the Country’s most famous personalities.

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