16thC war axe with bird's beak
 

Today I found a nice german equestrian war axe with bird's beak at the PAN Amsterdam.
nice encountering the real thing among the many fakes offered today.

I think I have this decoration seen before on a musket barrel?? somewhere on this forum, I just do not recall, where?

provenance: Emden Rustkammer.

best,

What an excelent dangerous bird.
Thanks for sharing, Jasper :cool: .
Sorry my ignorance; what would be the age of this weapon ?

Thread title says 16th century. :)

Beautiful piece Jasper, I really enjoy seeing these workmanlike weapons. Much prefer them to the highly decorated items usually seen in museums.

Oh Iain, i'm getting short sighted :shrug:

I usually miss things in the title as well, and I never notice if someone puts a title on a post! ;)

Hi IAn and Fernando,

I usually miss a lot of things :)

kind regards,
jasper

Hi Cornelis,

The decoration seems familiar indeed, at first i thought it might have been the same as on my armada chest (http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=17548)
But this is not the case (little play on words here :D )
I will search trough some books etc as well, looks very interesting (somehow a bit south german/polish taste to it).

Hi marcus,

thanks for the link, I saw similar design on a 16thc barrel at some thread in this forum but unfortunately iam not able to find it anymore. :confused:

best,

Hi Jasper,


It was not without rhyme or reason that I waited to come in on this.

The main question is: is it European, and where exactly? The style if decoration surely is but the whole object leaves a rather lightweight=late impression.
I'm afraid it is East European, Romania/Bulgaria, ca. 1600.

All 1st-half 16th c. specimens I have handled were North Italian to South German - and of considerably greater structure and weight. This makes us ponder whether the whole thing is already rather symbol than weapon.


Best,
m

Hi Michael,

Thank you for your answer.

Do you maybe you have a barrel with the same decoration in your collection?
can you then please post a picture of it?

yes Polish around 1600, a so called a czekan nadziak, could also be a possibility. see http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=16469

Though I do not expect it, because it out of the Emden ruestkammer.
f/m the decoration is typically German, there are clear signs of combat use and the weight is 675gr similar to warhammers of this form, CF europaische Hieb und stiechwaffen p 273 warhammer 307 (690gr)

I do think the weapon is too ugly to be used for processional use. :)

best,
jasper

Hi Jasper,


Had I had anything to compare I would have jumped right in presenting it. ;)


The origin of the style of decoration is Northern Italy, early 16th c.
When judging the age of both styles and weapons, please keep in mind that basically there were handcrafted styles first which later turned into mere decoration.

E.g., enclosed find a ca. 1530's Northern Italian war hammer and, showing the same originally turned/roped style but now merely appearing struck as an ornament, on a ca. 1540's South German Landsknecht saber, and finally, and very much like your hammer in discussion, a ca. 1600 Ambras sword (note the laterally roped decoration).


Best,
m

Another close stylish comparison from your Katzbalger restoration thread - see the relationsphip between the wavy and the roped lines?

Best,
Michael

Another fine 1530's Northern Italian all-steel (these were the first in line!) war hammer retaining much of its original blackened surface.

m

And a finely etched vise, made by Leonhard Danner, Nuremberg, ca. 1560.

m

Hi Michael,

thank you for the pictures, I found a good match, closer than expected

In the blade of the Katzbalger of Eindhoven a similar wave pattern, and in the associated tool a very similar Xcross with surrounding 1 and 2 lines respectively.
a similar griprondel guard with two holes and a hanging point I found on a war hammer in the historic museum of praque dated 1530.


I think it is likely to date the axehammer a bit earlier around 1550.

best,

I tried to find some material but didn't have the time left for a very extensive check trough my pile of information (auction season :o :D )
I did however find some material which might be interesting, the wavy decoration seems to make its way slowly to the nort west regions of Germany. Only a assumption of course, to little facts to support this claim.. but still.
Link to bonhams auction of 27th november item number 182.
http://www.bonhams.com/auctions/20803/lot/182/
http://i44.tinypic.com/167wlmf.png

Other interesting items where sold in this auction as well.
Christies might have a good database as well on this subject?

nice axe.

decorations remind me of my salyani khukuri