Old axe from ???

kronckew · 22nd September 2017, 10:14 PM

found this old one handed axe, looks germanic/hungarian to me, someone suggested scandiwegian.

75 cm. long, metal haft fittings, leather lanyard loop broken. no further info. should arrive next weekish.

any idea what time period or area it came from? looks more horsman/hussar than infantry to me.

thanks for any suggestions/info.

BBJW · 23rd September 2017, 02:22 AM

I've seen an axe very similar that was from the area of Prussia/Poland. My guess would be Central or Eastern Europe. As to age I would say pre percussion firearms.- bj

kronckew · 23rd September 2017, 07:20 AM

thanks for the info BBJW. confirms a few suspicions/hopes i had.

CutlassCollector · 23rd September 2017, 04:52 PM

Nice axe. A forward stabbing function is always a good asset on a combat axe. It reminds me of some of the blade shapes of early Swedish boarding axes.

CC

kronckew · 23rd September 2017, 06:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CutlassCollector

Nice axe. A forward stabbing function is always a good asset on a combat axe. It reminds me of some of the blade shapes of early Swedish boarding axes.

CC

i saw those on the boarding axe site, they are quite cool axes. sadly mine ha no spike or languets or i might think 'navy'...

Roland_M · 25th September 2017, 11:58 AM

This could be a digger parade axe from Germany or nearby.

If you search for "Bergbarte" or "Bergmannsaxt" (german terms for miner axe) on Google, you will find many similar examples.

Just a guess, your example is a little unusual.

Roland

kronckew · 25th September 2017, 05:32 PM

a lot of similarities, and also a lot not at all alike - i've seen miner's parade axes before, have a walking stick one with a small decorative cast brass head & crossed hammers in a circle on the blade, flat bottom, ball on the end of the upright 'spike' put away somewhere. some wagoners axes (doloire) are even more similar, but larger more symmetrical & short hafted. seems to be a fairly common germanic/central european/hungarian style. the perforations may have some emeaning (holy trinity?).

anyhow, i'll provide better pics and dimensions, weight etc. when it arrives in a few days. might have a stamp or other decor not on the one pic i have. so far we've eliminated iberia, france, UK, italy, also probably not balkan or turkish, or russian.

kronckew · 28th September 2017, 01:23 PM

axe arrived. cutting edge is quite sharp, convex. couple small nicks.lower rounded part is not sharp, neither is the back of the point, all rounded rather than flat. eye is enclosed rather nthgan open. a silver pin is used to keep the head on. grip rings are copper, except the 'pommel' one is steel and open on the base where the strap ends were... sadly strap fell apart into powder as i unpacked it. haft has been varnished. three holes appear punched and countersunk rather than drilled.

weight is 1165 grams, or 2.56 lb. (or 41 oz.)
haft is 34.5 in. from tip of the socket to the pommel end. roughly 1 3/16 in. dia. at the socket, grip section 1 in. dia. in the grooves. socket 3 in. pommel piece 2 in., edge is 8 5/8 in. top to bottom, roughly 4 in. across. the blade x-section tapers from the socket to the edge as a shallow triangle and is about 1/2 in. thick where it joins the socket.

appears to be a heavy weapon rather than a tool or parade axe.

broadaxe · 29th September 2017, 07:09 PM

Please post some close-up photos.

kronckew · 1st October 2017, 03:17 PM

yup, a slightly more distressed version of mine. sadly a live auction for 12 hrs, so we can't post anything about it yet. rather vague description.

22nd September 2017, 10:14 PM	#1
kronckew Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Room 101, Glos. UK Posts: 4,178	Old axe from ??? found this old one handed axe, looks germanic/hungarian to me, someone suggested scandiwegian. 75 cm. long, metal haft fittings, leather lanyard loop broken. no further info. should arrive next weekish. any idea what time period or area it came from? looks more horsman/hussar than infantry to me. thanks for any suggestions/info. Attached Images

23rd September 2017, 02:22 AM	#2
BBJW Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Idaho, USA Posts: 228	Old Axe? I've seen an axe very similar that was from the area of Prussia/Poland. My guess would be Central or Eastern Europe. As to age I would say pre percussion firearms.- bj

28th September 2017, 01:23 PM	#8
kronckew Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Room 101, Glos. UK Posts: 4,178	axe arrived. cutting edge is quite sharp, convex. couple small nicks.lower rounded part is not sharp, neither is the back of the point, all rounded rather than flat. eye is enclosed rather nthgan open. a silver pin is used to keep the head on. grip rings are copper, except the 'pommel' one is steel and open on the base where the strap ends were... sadly strap fell apart into powder as i unpacked it. haft has been varnished. three holes appear punched and countersunk rather than drilled. weight is 1165 grams, or 2.56 lb. (or 41 oz.) haft is 34.5 in. from tip of the socket to the pommel end. roughly 1 3/16 in. dia. at the socket, grip section 1 in. dia. in the grooves. socket 3 in. pommel piece 2 in., edge is 8 5/8 in. top to bottom, roughly 4 in. across. the blade x-section tapers from the socket to the edge as a shallow triangle and is about 1/2 in. thick where it joins the socket. appears to be a heavy weapon rather than a tool or parade axe. Last edited by kronckew; 28th September 2017 at 02:01 PM.

23rd September 2017, 07:20 AM	#3
kronckew Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Room 101, Glos. UK Posts: 4,178	thanks for the info BBJW. confirms a few suspicions/hopes i had.

23rd September 2017, 04:52 PM	#4
CutlassCollector Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Scotland Posts: 330	Nice axe. A forward stabbing function is always a good asset on a combat axe. It reminds me of some of the blade shapes of early Swedish boarding axes. CC

25th September 2017, 11:58 AM	#6
Roland_M Member Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: Germany Posts: 525	This could be a digger parade axe from Germany or nearby. If you search for "Bergbarte" or "Bergmannsaxt" (german terms for miner axe) on Google, you will find many similar examples. Just a guess, your example is a little unusual. Roland

25th September 2017, 05:32 PM	#7
kronckew Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Room 101, Glos. UK Posts: 4,178	a lot of similarities, and also a lot not at all alike - i've seen miner's parade axes before, have a walking stick one with a small decorative cast brass head & crossed hammers in a circle on the blade, flat bottom, ball on the end of the upright 'spike' put away somewhere. some wagoners axes (doloire) are even more similar, but larger more symmetrical & short hafted. seems to be a fairly common germanic/central european/hungarian style. the perforations may have some emeaning (holy trinity?). anyhow, i'll provide better pics and dimensions, weight etc. when it arrives in a few days. might have a stamp or other decor not on the one pic i have. so far we've eliminated iberia, france, UK, italy, also probably not balkan or turkish, or russian.

29th September 2017, 07:09 PM	#9
broadaxe Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 332	Please post some close-up photos.

1st October 2017, 03:17 PM	#10
kronckew Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Room 101, Glos. UK Posts: 4,178	yup, a slightly more distressed version of mine. sadly a live auction for 12 hrs, so we can't post anything about it yet. rather vague description.