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Originally Posted by Blacksmith
Hello, I have seen these kind of axes with different kind of blade styles and with same haft style and they werw all mentioned to be made for the Paris World Exhibition in the beginning of the 1900. So not made for the actual use.
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You are right about it not being for actual use. First of all its not sharpened. Second its to big and heavy to actually fight with, you could only strike once or twice before you got exhausted.
That it would have been made for the Paris exhibition is not impossible. I can see it being made as an export piece to europe and america in the mid to late 19 century, in the same matter that kula khuds and sipars shields where made for export. But Im really not experienced enough to date it accurate, that is why I ask for other opinions. Its not that the age matters, I like the axe anyway, but I like to catalog the items in my collection as correctly as possible
Some other reflections: If there are two identical, there are more out there.
A piece of the edge has broken of, and had probably done so on the other one to since the edge was grinded down. So its hard iron. If you where to chisel something that detailed that is only for display why choose iron that hard. It could be made of cast iron.
What strikes me as odd is that the decoration is asymmetrical in lot of places, its small details but if you look closely on top ad bottom the differences are quite obvious.
While researching i found a axe head in "Lexicon of arms and armor from Iran" by Manouchehr page 529. It shows an axe (see picture) that shares design features with this one. The odd pointy egg shape thing, the borders around the edges and the on the back. Its more similar on the reverse side (not in picture).