Morgenstern (Morningstar), Germanic 17th C

Description

The morningstar, or Morgenstern in German, was a widely used peasant weapon from
Medieval times up to the early 1800’s. They were easy and cheap to manufacture, but
very wicked-looking lethal weapons. It is essentially a long wooden club with a larger head
bearing a number of iron spikes. They were commonly used in the German-speaking
countries like Bavaria, Austria, and Switzerland, but rarely found in other parts of Europe.
The most typical form was made from one piece of wood and had about a 3″ diameter
cylindrical head and was reduced in diameter for the remainder of the shaft. The example
offered here is a more scarce variety with a separate football-shaped wooden head about 7
½” long and 4″ at its widest point (wormed but sound), studded with three rows of five 2 ½”
square-section spikes placed evenly around the circumference. On the end is a 6″
thrusting spike. The head is mounted to a later 67″ round wood shaft. Wood with dark
finish and iron spikes with rust patina. Overall length 80 ½”. Similar examples found in the
Landeszeughaus Graz, Austria. Price includes domestic US shipping.