Query on maker's mark

Billman · 30th March 2014, 02:39 PM

Thanks for that - the tool is most certainly a cooper's knife - 'cochoir' in French (kuipermes??) - the single bevel, the blade shape, the deep fullering are all typical of certain patterns of this tool. Possibly the image of two coopers trussing a cask on the back of the blade are also a bit of a give away...

I have not found any reference to this tool in Holland, but have contacted Eric Waulput who has written a book on cooper's tool (Catalog Kuiper Gereedschaf) for help.

I have just found an image of a similar tool, dated from 1400 to 1500, in the Rotterdam Museum - it is listed as a meat cleaver, but so was the V&A tool, until I told them otherwise...

The Dutch and Belgium billhooks often have a straight blade, and they can be seen in images of carpenter's workshops, so it is likely they were also found in Dutch/Flemish/Belgium cooperages...

Images, below: top the V&A tool, bottom the Rotterdam tool....

Billman · 30th March 2014, 02:53 PM

The above is the first time I have seen both images together - the Rotterdam tool is most certainly also a cooper's tool...

I would like to see the other side, to see if it is flat or fullered like the V&A tool, and also to see if it has single bevel.

Query, is it really 1400 to 1500 as stated by the museum, or much later, i.e. 200 years, which would make it late 1600 early 1700's?????

Billman · 31st March 2014, 10:43 AM

Just found another one, sold in Germany as an 18th century Küfermesser,
(i.e. a cooper's knife)...

30th March 2014, 02:39 PM	#1
Billman Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Posts: 129	Thanks for that - the tool is most certainly a cooper's knife - 'cochoir' in French (kuipermes??) - the single bevel, the blade shape, the deep fullering are all typical of certain patterns of this tool. Possibly the image of two coopers trussing a cask on the back of the blade are also a bit of a give away... I have not found any reference to this tool in Holland, but have contacted Eric Waulput who has written a book on cooper's tool (Catalog Kuiper Gereedschaf) for help. I have just found an image of a similar tool, dated from 1400 to 1500, in the Rotterdam Museum - it is listed as a meat cleaver, but so was the V&A tool, until I told them otherwise... The Dutch and Belgium billhooks often have a straight blade, and they can be seen in images of carpenter's workshops, so it is likely they were also found in Dutch/Flemish/Belgium cooperages... Images, below: top the V&A tool, bottom the Rotterdam tool.... Attached Images Last edited by Billman; 30th March 2014 at 02:57 PM.

30th March 2014, 02:53 PM	#2
Billman Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Posts: 129	The above is the first time I have seen both images together - the Rotterdam tool is most certainly also a cooper's tool... I would like to see the other side, to see if it is flat or fullered like the V&A tool, and also to see if it has single bevel. Query, is it really 1400 to 1500 as stated by the museum, or much later, i.e. 200 years, which would make it late 1600 early 1700's????? Last edited by Billman; 30th March 2014 at 04:33 PM.

31st March 2014, 10:43 AM	#3
Billman Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Posts: 129	Just found another one, sold in Germany as an 18th century Küfermesser, (i.e. a cooper's knife)... Attached Images