Board of Ordinance Marking

[CutlassCollector]

This B O mark is on a boarding axe from the 1830s but as I have not seen an axe marked with B O before I would like to check its authenticity with anyone more familiar with this marking. From what I can see on the web it looks OK.
Any thoughts?

Thanks, CC

[corrado26]

By "Blackmore, British Military Firearms 1650-1850" you find the BO mark as added.
101:Board of Ordnance ownership mark, superseded in 1855 by WD mark.
102:Obsolete, condemned or sale mark
corrado26

[Jim McDougall]

According to Gilkerson (p.38), earlier axes often marked with the Crowns broad arrow but "..seldom anything else". The second arrow (point to point) indicating sale or out of service is also noted. Rack numbers were in the handles.
Their is no mention of other markings except a rare instance of an axe with provenance to Trafalgar (1805) being marked with makers name, Sargant.
In latter 19th century some dates, names occur.

My guess would be, after reading about the volume of these 'tools' produced and the complacency toward them as rather insignificant implements (the reason so very few survive) that the BO/arrow was quite likely stamped in this manner. It seems about this period (1830s through Crimea), just about everything was stamped with the BO.

[CutlassCollector]

Corrado,
Many thanks for the drawing - I had not found that. It's a good match and makes me more confident it's a genuine mark.

And Jim,
Many thanks for your input always appreciated. I can understand that a lowly axe would not be so carefully marked as say a firearm.

I was a little hesitant as this is the first brit boarding axe I have seen with a BO mark and it is also not the standard shape.

Regards David.

[Jim McDougall]

David,
Could you show the whole axe, just for the record. I am curious on this as well, and hope maybe Cap'n Mark might show up with his thoughts.
I figure if you nautical guys aren't sure on this quandary, it would be good to follow up on.
I didn't mean anything disparaging on the axe, just paraphrasing Gilkersons notes on the reason so few of the huge numbers of these have survived.

All the best
Jim

[CutlassCollector]

Hi Jim,

I did not take it as disparaging at all! Yes, it's well understood that boarding axes are rare almost because they were so common. Guess it's why I like them.

Its an interesting find as it seems to indicate another Brit pattern between the two well known ones, which is why I wanted to make sure the BO mark was correct. I will put pictures up soon for further comment and you're right it will certainly interest the Cap'n.

Regards David.

[Jim McDougall]

Thanks David,
Further checking I found that "...before 1854, arms for the Royal Navy were procured by the Board of Ordnance an bear their BO mark. After that the role was taken over by the War Office and the mark replaced by WD".

Apparently in the early years of the 19th century the royal cypher was replaced by three marks, the crown; the block letter for place of mfg; and number for inspector.
Letters for mfg. were B=Birmingham
E= Enfield
S= Solingen
Later an inspection office was emplaced in Solingen, and the mark became
SW (=Wilkinson) as Wilkinson operated the office.

" British Naval Swords and Swordsmanship"
Mark Barton and John McGrath, 2013, p.34

It would seem like, as noted, in around probably 1830s these marks were replaced by the BO and arrow, perhaps more British makers were producing in the contracts. While unclear exactly when the BO mark was emplaced, it does seem clear that the BO mark was used on naval weapons, including the axes.

Interesting that you have found an interim prototype between the more familiar types, which might lend more to the beginning of the BO mark.

[CutlassCollector]

There are many examples of boarding axes from the early 19th century that share general features of a crescent shaped blade, side langets and flat sided spike. Col. Rankin describes one in 'Small Arms of the Sea Services, (page 2), as "....British boarding ax of a type frequently used in the American navy". He dates them to 1840-60 and several examples made by Brooks Brothers of Sheffield survive.
Other variations on this pattern include the one held at the Pitt River Museum. I have normally classified this pattern type as private purchase axes.

This axe follows that pattern but has the British Ordnance mark indicating ownership by the government. The spike is distinguished by the downwards curve which is smoothed at the sides to a blunt edge on the upper point. I only know of three examples of this axe and one is I believe still owned by our very own Fernando. The other two are unmarked.

Although little can be inferred from only one example it is likely that the British government at some time purchased at least a batch of these axes. There's not enough information to prove a third Brit model between the early axe and the 1859 model, so for the time being it remains speculation.

Regards CC