Shirt collars make an interesting study in themselves. Since around 1860, when detachable collars were invented – or at least introduced into the market – collars have been short, rounded, pointed, wing style, flat and all manner of shapes.
Fairly early on, the difference between formal and informal collars was marked. Formal collars were wing collars (for evening and morning dress) and starched, stiff collars for day wear. Shapes, up to the 1920s, were fairly restrained, but by the late 20s soft collars started to look a little different.
The spearpoint collar was made popular by John Barrymore, the actor, after whom it was named. His collar height was about 3.5 inches. You can see the long collar, undone, below.
Later modifications included a narrower tie space at the top, to the point where there was none, for practical purposes. George Raft famously had 4.5 inch collars, until (it is said) Norma Shearer persuaded him that they looked a bit much.
The spearpoint is not 1930’s answer to the long, wide collar of the 70s. The 70s collar was wider and spread out.
A genuine spearpoint collar is curved, with the points fairly close together, running downwards alongside the tie knot.
The spearpoint gradually gave way to shorter collars in the 50s collars became smaller as ties narrowed, and by the late 60s we started seeing big wide pointy collars, becoming smaller into the 80s. There was a revival of sorts in the 90s, when collars were longer and narrower, but they were not exactly genuine spearpoints, as they tended to have interlining where the true spearpoint does not.
If you are looking for a spearpoint collar shirt, good luck. There are a few firms that can do a good facsimile, but the challenge is finding a tie to go with them. You need a smallish knot, or the collar points will spread out and will not lie flat. The answer is vintage ties or, if you are in a position to do so, order a few bespoke ties, telling the maker to give you a narrow band above the blade.