WAR HAMMERS for Footmen and Horsemen, 14th to 16th Centuries

[cornelistromp]

Originally Posted by Matchlock

- An unusually fine and important horseman's war hammer head, of cast bronze and wrought iron and profusely sculpted and chiseled to form three zoomorphic heads, probably lion's heads, and a heraldic shield depicting a lion rampant; with a riveted sturdy iron saddle hook; Nuremberg, 2nd half 15th c., formerly in the John Woodman Higgins Armory, Worcester, Ms.
As with many works of craftsmanship in the Late Gothic/Early Reniassance, the winding Gothic minuscule script on the socket does not make any sense; the letters are stylized to a mere decorative element -

Hi Michael,

glad you're back.
the text on Higgins's hammer in Gothic minuscules 'Ave Maria Gracia Plena Helf Maria'

this hammer was recently sold by christies in 2000 and bought by Higgins army museum
Christie's. London, South Kensington. 12 July 2000. Sale 8829. Lot 49. Price realized £8,225 ($12,436).

A Very Rare Low Countries Or German Gothic Horseman's Hammer Head
Second half of the 15th Century
Comprising iron peen with rectangular face formed as the top of a castellated tower, and iron beak-like fluke of stiff diamond section, each projecting from the mouths of two addorsed latten monsters' heads, surmounted by a lion couchant and cast in one with the slightly tapering tubular socket with file-roped moulding at the bottom, a shield bearing a lion rampant in relief at the top, and an engraved encircling spiral band inscribed in Gothic minuscules 'Ave Maria Gracia Plena Helf Maria', and flat riveted iron belt hook, on later turned wooden haft
6½in. (16.5cm.) head

best,
Jasper

[Matchlock]

Thank you so much, Jasper,


For both your kind welcome and for your valuable contribution on the Higgins hammer head!
I've just corrected my former wrong opinion in the post above and credited you, just to make sure not to possibly mislead anybody.

The Higgins inventory I retrieved from their home page did not provide any information on that inscription, so I surmised it would be all decorative, as is the case on many later items.

My computer is still not o.k., it must go to intensive care again tomorrow. My scanner is still not recognized and accepted by the computer - this is why I could not yet send all the scans I promised you.
That Fischer catalog still lies open on my desk anxiously waiting for being scanned, along with many other books ... so please be patient a bit longer - thanks!


Best as ever,
Michael

[kronckew]

i like the fisted nail ones: the dolchstreithammer.
(mine (1.) below, by the chap who made the one in 'van helsing' the movie) there is a dolchstreithammer thread we made earlier here with more war hammers.

i have a professional armourer acquaintence outside prague who makes these beck de corbin. (2.) a.k.a. 'hammer of lucerne'. this picture also shows the scale of the two handed infantry versions.

and a double hammered one very much like the one you pasted above. (3.) with longer languets.

he makes them in a traditional forge with traditional tools and materials. with a bit of his own artistic license thrown in of course. he tries to base them on museum examples as much as possible. might buy one like the beck. or get him to make one like your post with a beak instead of the 2nd hammer face.

[Matchlock]

Another detail of the grip of the war hammer of. ca. 1560-70 from post #7.

m

[Iain]

I have nothing to contribute only to say thanks for a very interesting topic!

[Matchlock]

It's my turn, Iain,

To say THANKS for your appreciation!

As soon as my grrr... scanner is back to work again I will post an overwhelming footman's hammer which I photographed at the Tower of London in 1990 and in the Royal Armouries Leeds in 1997; that specimen will overthrow you and literally beat everything!

Best as ever,
Michael

[cornelistromp]

for those interested in the gothic war hammer, there is a wonderful article in the forthcoming catalog of the London arms and armour fair 2015.

As we are used to Articles written by the hand of Clive Thomas, there will be detailed descriptions, clear analyses and probably a new classification for these interesting weapons.

It will be in any case, a leading article which I'm really looking forward to.

best,
Jasper