Axe for ID

[CutlassCollector]

That's really interesting to see them together, Fernando.

Only very slight differences to the metalwork and the fact that weight and sizes are so close suggest that they were made by different smiths but to the same pattern. Changes to the wood work possibly made, as you suggest, in service to fit use or storage.

Thanks for posting.
Regards CC

[M ELEY]

Now that you found a another, Fernando, I think we can conclude these are a Portuguese interpretation of the form! Great piece, too bad he won't sell it to you to make a pair (or to me to make me happy!!!)

[fernando]

Originally Posted by M ELEY

... Great piece, too bad he won't sell it to you to make a pair (or to me to make me happy!!!)

Maybe some day, Captain .

[CutlassCollector]

After reading this thread again and the research that Fernando did two years ago I agree with Mark that there is a good case that these should be considered as Portuguese Boarding axes.
Even if there was no standard government pattern as Fernando's research suggests we can still assume that being two of them, near identical in size and weight, and so definitively boarding axes that there must have been more.

It was up to each Naval unit Commander to choose, order and acquire the axes in the required quantity for their crew. In a way that we can find different axe models in the various naval units of the same period.

Even medium sized naval ships would have require 30 or 40 and the largest vessels many more.

Regards, CC