Fish Spears

Sauconian · Post by **Sauconian** » Tue Dec 18, 2007 9:44 pm

Another item I have trouble passing up are hand wrought fish spears.

The longest of these is 25" from socket to tines. The nasty looking one with the reverse hooks I have read is an English design, which I believed is called a ' Leister' (sp.) Probably illegal in the UK now as well, but all were collected locally, and I think forged here ( eastern Pa. )also.

The spikey looking relic in the middle is a 'hetchel' or 'hatchel.' Hemp was extensively grown for the production of linen. After harvesting, it was soaked in water to break down the hard outer bark, which was then cracked with a 'flax break.' It was then combed through the hetchel to remove the bark fragments and separate the fibers in preparation for spinning into linen yarn.

Please forgive the poor pics, as I didn't want to take these off the wall, but after a look at the photos I see my spring housecleaning has expired, and I'll need to take them down soon.

Fran

jonet143 · Post by **jonet143** » Tue Dec 18, 2007 9:54 pm

hey, webs and dust bunnys love old stuff!

great old stuff fran.

Forensic Jim · Post by **Forensic Jim** » Thu Dec 27, 2007 8:46 am

Fran,

You might want to consider a maid or housecleaning service

Those are some neat looking spears. Were those primarily for ice fishing or for working on a fishing boat by chance?

Sauconian · Post by **Sauconian** » Thu Dec 27, 2007 2:05 pm

Jim, I think the two largest were probably for ice fishing, but the smaller three pronged one may have been for fish such as trout, before conservation laws regulated such activities.

Wild fare was a big part of the early American diet, with country people obtaining their own, and market hunters supplying the cities with seafood, waterfowl, and furred game. I have local receipts for barrels and half barrels of salted fish, and there was more than one oyster house in the neighborhood, over 100 miles from the ocean, back in the horse & wagon days. Six horse teams of Conestoga wagons were the ' big rigs ' of those times.

P.S. I had a twice a month housekeeper for awhile, but she didn't do windows or plumbing !

Fran

justold52 · Post by **justold52** » Thu Dec 27, 2007 5:54 pm

O sure and over 100 miles from the ocean, back in the horse & wagon days. Six horse teams of Conestoga wagons were the ' big rigs ' of those times.

Next you will say every mile they had road construction or repair.
Ten foot snow banks too....

Perhaps a BEAR following all the way....

P.S. was she a RED HEAD ??
Most Red Heads know how to do plumbing and pipes real well...