Axehead for discussion

Evgeny_K · 22nd September 2017, 02:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Victrix

Would this type of axe have been used by the Varangian guard?

I'm not sure.

silberschatzimsee · 22nd September 2017, 04:26 PM

@all Thank you for your input
It was sold to me as byzantine broad axe , modern cleaned and conserved, to me. So evgeny was spot on with his excavated example which looks very similar.
Its from a london collection which contained a lot of viking axeheads formed in the 1950s.

I have attached more pictures of the axehead. It seems as there is some black coating and then some kind of wax applied on top of it.

kronckew · 22nd September 2017, 09:25 PM

it shows a few more warts and booboos than the original photo, which is good. over 'conserved' and polished a bit too much if it is real. inside of the eye looks like what i'd expect in an old head w/o it's haft. not conserved as much.

CutlassCollector · 23rd September 2017, 04:44 PM

Nice axe and a close match to Evgeny_K's example.

But I share the doubts about the age.
Apart from the lack of warts and wrinkles as has already been pointed out, the edges are too neat even chamfered in places. I'm unconvinced that any conservation would go that far or turn out that good on a roughly 800 year old axe.
CC

silberschatzimsee · 28th September 2017, 10:36 AM

Thanks for your input guys. I thrust the coinoirseurship of the previous owner that its a real one. It was not much money involved but still it would annoy me of course if its a piece of historism from the 19 century or so.

Neitherless i have noted to myself not to purchase overconserved items next time.

broadaxe · 29th September 2017, 07:27 PM

Sorry to say it looks like a good replica.

Kmaddock · 29th September 2017, 09:12 PM

Sorry, To me it looks like a modern piece,
if it was a conserved piece I do not think the angles would be so sharp, when removing the metal to bring the surface down to smooth all the definition of the piece would be lost
More pictures and angles of pictures would help define opinion though.

I have done a fair bit of restoration on items and to me to take a file or a grinder to a surface to remove blemishes would be many a bridge too far

Just my opinion we are all inviduals

Ken

22nd September 2017, 04:26 PM	#2
silberschatzimsee Member Join Date: Aug 2015 Posts: 90	@all Thank you for your input It was sold to me as byzantine broad axe , modern cleaned and conserved, to me. So evgeny was spot on with his excavated example which looks very similar. Its from a london collection which contained a lot of viking axeheads formed in the 1950s. I have attached more pictures of the axehead. It seems as there is some black coating and then some kind of wax applied on top of it. Attached Images

22nd September 2017, 09:25 PM	#3
kronckew Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Room 101, Glos. UK Posts: 4,224	it shows a few more warts and booboos than the original photo, which is good. over 'conserved' and polished a bit too much if it is real. inside of the eye looks like what i'd expect in an old head w/o it's haft. not conserved as much.

23rd September 2017, 04:44 PM	#4
CutlassCollector Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Scotland Posts: 355	Nice axe and a close match to Evgeny_K's example. But I share the doubts about the age. Apart from the lack of warts and wrinkles as has already been pointed out, the edges are too neat even chamfered in places. I'm unconvinced that any conservation would go that far or turn out that good on a roughly 800 year old axe. CC

28th September 2017, 10:36 AM	#5
silberschatzimsee Member Join Date: Aug 2015 Posts: 90	Thanks for your input guys. I thrust the coinoirseurship of the previous owner that its a real one. It was not much money involved but still it would annoy me of course if its a piece of historism from the 19 century or so. Neitherless i have noted to myself not to purchase overconserved items next time.

29th September 2017, 07:27 PM	#6
broadaxe Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 334	Sorry to say it looks like a good replica.

29th September 2017, 09:12 PM	#7
Kmaddock Member Join Date: May 2014 Location: Ireland Posts: 543	Sorry, To me it looks like a modern piece, if it was a conserved piece I do not think the angles would be so sharp, when removing the metal to bring the surface down to smooth all the definition of the piece would be lost More pictures and angles of pictures would help define opinion though. I have done a fair bit of restoration on items and to me to take a file or a grinder to a surface to remove blemishes would be many a bridge too far Just my opinion we are all inviduals Ken