An American Type I boarding axe? Or not!

M ELEY · 14th February 2024, 03:11 PM

Thank you so much Jim and CC for coming in on this one! Great to hear from you both!

I'm glad I stayed clear, as I wasn't a player with all of the questionables involved. Both you and Jim make it clear to me that if there were private purchase axes from this period, they certainly wouldn't have taken the time to come up with such a complicated pattern. Too bad, though, that only a few of these amazing types are still in existence and what an incredible thing to think about stumbling over someday (I think we all have that fantasy of walking into a consignment shop or naval yard and seeing one of these hidden in a barrel or somesuch. But not today!) The chap who bought it spent almost a grand!

CutlassCollector · 14th February 2024, 04:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by M ELEY

......what an incredible thing to think about stumbling over someday (I think we all have that fantasy of walking into a consignment shop or naval yard and seeing one of these hidden in a barrel or somesuch. But not today!) The chap who bought it spent almost a grand!

Ouch! And yes Mark, I have that dream too!
I believe there is only one Type 1 in the UK and I got to handle it a few years back when Sim Comfort kindly let me view his collection.

regards, CC

M ELEY · 14th February 2024, 08:15 PM

That's inredible that you got to see and peruse Mr. Comfort's personal collection, David! His pieces have been featured (of course) in everything from Gilkeron's works and in his own monumental volume 'Naval Swords', of which I hope to some day obtain a copy.

CutlassCollector · 14th February 2024, 08:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by M ELEY

That's inredible that you got to see and peruse Mr. Comfort's personal collection, David! His pieces have been featured (of course) in everything from Gilkeron's works and in his own monumental volume 'Naval Swords', of which I hope to some day obtain a copy.

Yes, one of the great collectors and happy to share his knowledge. He had a huge collection and one afternoon with him was not nearly enough! I concentrated on the naval axes and cutlasses but I barely scratched the surface.

14th February 2024, 03:11 PM	#1
M ELEY Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: NC, U.S.A. Posts: 2,141	Thank you so much Jim and CC for coming in on this one! Great to hear from you both! I'm glad I stayed clear, as I wasn't a player with all of the questionables involved. Both you and Jim make it clear to me that if there were private purchase axes from this period, they certainly wouldn't have taken the time to come up with such a complicated pattern. Too bad, though, that only a few of these amazing types are still in existence and what an incredible thing to think about stumbling over someday (I think we all have that fantasy of walking into a consignment shop or naval yard and seeing one of these hidden in a barrel or somesuch. But not today!) The chap who bought it spent almost a grand!

14th February 2024, 08:15 PM	#3
M ELEY Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: NC, U.S.A. Posts: 2,141	That's inredible that you got to see and peruse Mr. Comfort's personal collection, David! His pieces have been featured (of course) in everything from Gilkeron's works and in his own monumental volume 'Naval Swords', of which I hope to some day obtain a copy.