I've added the Belgian lance to this list and corrected the Turkish lance type and length. A couple of web sources indicate that the Turkish army in 1914 was using either German M1893 lances or copies of them made in Turkey.

Lances

Nation materials model Full size lengths 1/16th scale lengths
French wood M1890 2900mm 181.3mm
metal M1913 2970mm 185.6mm
British bamboo M1894 2743mm 171.4mm
German metal M1893 3175mm 198.4mm
Russian metal pre-war 2750mm 171.9mm
metal 1914 3250mm 203.1mm
Austrian* metal 1911(?) 2641mm 165.1mm
Turkish metal M1893 3175mm 198.4mm
Belgian wood 1888 2810mm 175.6mm

* No Hungarian (Honved) lancers

All values approximate and based on web and text research.

Question: Why does the Russian lancer photo attached show a leather loop at the bottom of the lance? I've seen loops attached around the Russian lancer's shoulder but I don't see how the lancer would make use of a loop at the bottom of a lance.

All the best,
Dan

Probably over simplistic ..... but could it be for his boot?
Andrew

I've noticed it before but never found out why! I wonder if (like the Germans) they stored their lances point down? Or perhaps it was to help them balance while standing on the saddle, which they often did to get better observation over the vast distances. It might even be a hange on from being horse herders. I believe the Magyars use a loop on the end of a pole? Just guessing out load though.

Martin

Hi Dan!

The Loop a the bottom was for the boot.

When marching on horseback the lance was worn with the upper loop around the arm (or shoulder) and the under one at the foot. Such way they needed no hand to hold the Lance.








Cheers

Very clever those Russians! So no lance bucket?

Here the russian way to carry a lance while marching on horseback is better to be seen...:



Cheers

Many thanks Martin Rohmann, Martin Tabony and Andrew! In the illustration, it looks like the loop is behind the stirrup without actually being connected to the stirrup or strap. I'm not a horseman, but it seems the lancer could have some problems with this arrangement. He'd have to take his foot out of the stirrup to free the loop and be able to deploy the lance.

Anyway now I know how to make the lance and its two loops.

All the best,
Dan

Ist the better way to carry the loop behind the stirrup, because such way it cannot slip off while galloping.

Here a detail-picture of the loop below of a lance 1914. It was from leather, the lance from steel...:



If you then need the lance, briefly take the foot from the stirrup, and you have it in your hand ...

BTW:
The man in your picture is a dragoon. As you can see in your Picture, they wore special sabres with a fixed bayonet at the scabbard...:




Cheers

Personally I'd rather use a lance bucket!

Martin

Thanks again, Martin Rohmann! That's a detail I didn't know and will try to add.

If I were a rider, I'd agree with you Martin Tabony!

In my web stumbling this morning, I came across the War Relics Forum and in a new posting was this primo example of a Belgian lance with triangular spear, wood shaft and tricolor pennant. Per my sources, these lances were 2810 mm in length. Some of the wood shafts were, apparently bamboo and some another wood, maybe ash. The actual spear point was not posted in a close up, unfortunately.

All the best,
Dan