Vintage Grapnel Anchor with Flared Tine and Handle

This listing is for a Vintage Grapnel Anchor with Flared Tine and handle. What’s interesting about this particular anchor is that only one of four tines has a flared spade point, instead of the simple dull spike. Opposing the flared tine is an iron handle that barely juts out from the tine and then connects again at the end. This particular anchor is made of cast iron and we acquired it from a private collector in Canada.

This style of anchor is also known as a Grappling Anchor and is a simple, traditional design. The first grapnel hook was invented by the Romans in 260 B.C. The simple grapnel hook designed back then was used for climbing, traversing, and most importantly to catch ship rigging and board enemy ships during naval warfare. Until the mid-20th century, most anchors were either scaled down versions of kedge/admiralty anchors or they were simple grapnel designs. Later on, the slightly more advanced version of the simple grapnel was designed and the Grapnel anchor/drag was born.