Like Marius, I haven't seen this style of hammer-side before. I'm intrigued by it.
My understanding is that axes weren't used as weapons during the Qajar period. Thus most axes made then were generally decorative. Axes that were actually used would be subject to enormous force on the blade (since the blade is designed to break things, and not be broken itself) and thus were typically made in one piece, of thick metal, and very much wedge shaped. This allowed a lot of force to be concentrated in a small area.
Qajar decorative axes were made in multiple pieces, of thinner metal, and much larger than the usual war axe.
I speculate that there was a evolution over time with these decorative axes, with the block holding the front and back starting in a rounded shape more like a real axe, and ending in a very easy-to-make block shape. Also the back starting as solid metal that was split and bent into decorative shapes, then later made as a hollow model of same, and then just cut out of flat metal. To be clear, I don't know this to be true, it could have more to do with the manufacturer, but it seems pretty plausible. And that's what intrigues me about this axe; can you tell if that "lion" is solid or hollow? Is it maybe the very beginning of the transition from solid metal block to split curlicues?
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