Pirate's Axe

[CutlassCollector]

Originally Posted by M ELEY

Gorgeous piece, but I would agree with the others that this isn't a boarding ax per say. Of course, in the early periods of sail, ANY ax that went to sea could be contrived as a 'boarding ax'. The era of the classic boarding pieces started in the 1600's and were indeed patterned after the spiked, double bearded battle axes. The next 'pattern' to be seen were the fur trade axes coming over to the Americas in the 18th c. This piece being so early probably excludes it from maritime use. Still, the lanyard ring and belt hook throw me, as I've never seen early hunting axes with them.

Hi Mark,
Yes it confused me as well, with what we regard as marine fittings when it is obviously not much use as a working boarding axe. But it would still make a handy weapon.
I'm inclined to stick with marine for now, but I guess it will remain a bit of a mystery.
CC

[Victrix]

It could originally have been a goosewing axe used to hew timber into beams and planks (useful at sea), and then adapted into a fighting axe? It's unlikely so much effort would have been used to decorate a common tool. The metal studs would have been intended to deflect cuts. The shaft looks later and could have been a fantasy afterthought to enhance supposed martial qualities of the axe head? I have not seen examples of medieval side clips before so could be more recent. The style of decoration look E.European, possibly Polish?

[kronckew]

goosewings or axes made for planking had offset eyes, as in 9, 14, and 17 above view are terrible for weapons.

anecdote:

one of the UK 'executioners axes' was an offset carpenter's plank finishing axe, the executioner chosen for a particularly high status execution used it. while he was very experienced, the execution went badly, took him several blows. he was ridiculed and even had vegetables thrown at him in the street. he had a pamphlet printed and distributed to plead his case that the axe they'd foisted on him, not he himself was to blame as he could not strike straight with it.

it's designed for shaving wood, not chopping. a straight down blow puts a torque moment on the haft, twisting it in your hands. anyway, the pamphlet didn't help him much.

[Victrix]

Originally Posted by kronckew

goosewings or axes made for planking had offset eyes, as in 9, 14, and 17 above view are terrible for weapons.

anecdote:

one of the UK 'executioners axes' was an offset carpenter's plank finishing axe, the executioner chosen for a particularly high status execution used it. while he was very experienced, the execution went badly, took him several blows. he was ridiculed and even had vegetables thrown at him in the street. he had a pamphlet printed and distributed to plead his case that the axe they'd foisted on him, not he himself was to blame as he could not strike straight with it.

it's designed for shaving wood, not chopping. a straight down blow puts a torque moment on the haft, twisting it in your hands. anyway, the pamphlet didn't help him much.

I wouldn't be surprised if the executioners took one "stiffener," or two before the job, to make the task easier and perhaps not always fair to blame the tool used?

[CutlassCollector]

Originally Posted by Victrix

It could originally have been a goosewing axe used to hew timber into beams and planks (useful at sea), and then adapted into a fighting axe? It's unlikely so much effort would have been used to decorate a common tool. The metal studs would have been intended to deflect cuts. The shaft looks later and could have been a fantasy afterthought to enhance supposed martial qualities of the axe head? I have not seen examples of medieval side clips before so could be more recent. The style of decoration look E.European, possibly Polish?

Hi Victrix,
Thanks for your comments and yes a lot of work went into carving each diamond groove and inserting all those studs in very precise order. I have been searching Russian and Polish weapons without much success. Although studs do appear it is usually only a few not a dense pattern.

And thanks Wayne for the interesting story. It's always good to spice (garlic!) up a thread!

Regards CC

[kronckew]

thought i'd seen similar shaped ones before....when in doubt, search the site. while these look a bit lighter looking, they are the only similar shaped axes i've found. bullova axes, as posted by our esteemed vanadoo, sadly gone over the bridge. a progenitor?

p.s. - he probably ate garlic to make his breath smell better

[broadaxe]

To my eye it looks like an old Scandinavian hewing axe (not a 'goosewing' which is different form) - something with the shadows in the photo tells me it is single-beveled , mounted on a later haft. The elaborated work looks almost 'too good' , so it may be a Victorian-era put-together piece.

[kronckew]

cutlass, can we get a photo of the eye from above?

[CutlassCollector]

Originally Posted by kronckew

cutlass, can we get a photo of the eye from above?

That is a good idea and may give a bit more information. I don't know if they can get a shot of the top without taking it out of the case again. They have been really good at sending me photos of their boarding axe collection so I don't want to annoy them.

Thanks for the straight edge bullova as well. That was my initial thought but there are so many different styles and not many straight edge ones at that. The shape of the head where it passes through the handle seems unlike most bullova fittings.

The shape of the eye may help with that. I'll ask politely.

[CutlassCollector]

Originally Posted by broadaxe

To my eye it looks like an old Scandinavian hewing axe (not a 'goosewing' which is different form) - something with the shadows in the photo tells me it is single-beveled , mounted on a later haft. The elaborated work looks almost 'too good' , so it may be a Victorian-era put-together piece.

Hi Broadaxe,
Thanks for your input, I suspect your knowledge of axes is much broader than mine!

A Victorian piece is a possibility - plenty of battle axe examples - but the belt hook and langets argue against it. Also - and I realise that where/when an item was purchased is of only limited use - this axe was purchased in 1935 in NE United States and has been in the museum ever since. I'm assuming that there was much less cross Atlantic collector traffic back then.

Scandinavian keeps cropping up. I have a photo of the other side and the back - see what you think.

I still favour the notion that this was someone's personal weapon, put together and decorated with loving care! Could be wrong though.

CC