The 1859 British Boarding Axe

[CutlassCollector]

Originally Posted by M ELEY

Awesome information CC and I too am surprised to learn of a boarding piece being influenced by a fire implement and not the other way around (as it is in most circumstances). These mid-century boarding axes were definitely made for deck clearing. Is this one of the axes from your own collection?

Hi Mark,
The top axe is from my picture archive, so not mine. There are only two known that were made by Chas Thomas. Richard Thomas axes were a little more common but almost all these model 1859 boarding axes were made by Gilpin with dates ranging from 1861 to 1898. Only these three makers carry British government or Navy marks.

A slightly different shaped axe was manufactured for private purchase or other navys by:
John Yates and Co.
Adams Small Arms Company (famous for revolvers)
Apsam Co. Based in London WC

Here are two of mine. The top is a Richard Thomas 1897 and the lower one is a Gilpin 1861.