Old ax
 

Hello.I recently saw someone this weapon.What is it ?How old is it? Thank you for the answers. :shrug: :)

By the edge and the stampings, to me it looks very recent.
Also the scale -blackened look says recently forged.

Might be wrong though! :shrug:

Best,
Richard.

As for age I cannot say. I imagine this is more agricultural rather than a weapon, or at least a tool in peacetime and perhaps, in old days, a weapon in wartime.

Here is a similar piece (scroll down)If you use search terms like Hache de chais and Tranche-marc you may find more information, also the book Les haches, by Daniel Boucard.

You may also call it a coupe marc, as discussed HERE
Styles vary among the different regions (of France).
The short handle allows you to introduce it inside inside the whine press, to chop the bagasse, with short moves, holding it with one hand,; reason why its head is so heavy.

PS
It's Axe.

Not a Coup-Marc but a hewing axe for squaring logs into beams. The blade is one sided and canted, and the short handle is correct, it was meant to be used single-handed.
There is a very similar weapon in the same style (usually from Styiria), but the blade is centered and sharpened from both sides, mounted on a 1.5m haft.

So it is :cool: ,

Old ax
 

Thank you for the answers. :)