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#1 |
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Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: adelaide south australia
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Hi Guys
Another item I am photographing for a friend that I have not seen in the flesh before and know nothing about. It has been described as a 17th Century Scottish Iron Bill, with a makers mark. The mark seems strange to me as it is the word “RISON” or perhaps “BISON” stamped into the metal. I have no reference to this sought of stamp and/or the Rison or Bison in any of my library and was wondering if anyone has come across this before. Also the style and shape of this item is not what is usually seen in reference books on Scottish pole arms. Cheers Cathey and Rex |
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#2 |
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Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 135
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Well BISON makes axes and agricultural tools in Germany to the current day. To me, this looks more agricultural 19th century than a Scottish weapon from the 1600s
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#3 | |
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#4 |
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Being a billhook collector, this is obviously a late 19th, early 20th century billhook, and I would say very likely French. Germany doesn't have a great tradition of billhooks, and I may be wrong, but I've never seen one with a socket like this made to be mounted on a pole. These, with the large hook in the back, are specifically designed for debranching: you chop the branch, and the hook is used to catch the branch and bring it down if it is stuck.
I don't have that very exact pattern in my catalogues, but these two come pretty close. From the Revolier catalogue from around the 20's I scanned and is available on the internet, and see Bob Burgess website for more catalogues. But unlike hand-held billhooks, these pole billhooks don't have a strong local identity and recognizable traits. And basically, the same kind of tool could also be found in Italy, Spain or Portugal. Maybe Germany also, but that would be unusual. Estimated value: no more than 30€. 10€ is more like it. If you friend paid for this as a 17th century Scottish bill, he got screwed big big time. Last edited by Madnumforce; 31st July 2018 at 10:16 AM. |
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#5 | |
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#6 | |
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#7 |
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Hello,
It's a agriculture tool, early XX Century. Regards, BV |
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#8 |
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Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Chino, CA.
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An anecdotal aside. Someone once at a yard sale tried to push a "medieval halberd" on me... It was a brush axe. Didn't feel like arguing much about it with him. But I still bought it because it was in good shape and he wanted $5. Cleaned it up a little and sold it for $60.
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#9 |
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A question if I may;
On the farm I have used a billhook of varying types for the last 50 years, but being from Northern England the style I used did not have this pointed projection on the back. Apart from standing on a stump to sharpen as Timo mentions, What practical use has it? If it was bent back down towards the handle, (like a hook) it could be used to pull down branches, but facing up to the tip, it has me puzzled. Any thoughts on the idea behind it? (My only thought is for hedge laying, where the partly cut sapling is bent over at an angle. Could be used for pushing I suppose.....) Thank you all for your time, Richard. |
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#10 | |
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#11 | |
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#12 |
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One being sold in a current local flea market. You can still see the price stamp.
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#13 |
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As for the spike on the back I have thought a reason may be to have a two man team working together, one capturing the branch in the space between his spike and blade so as to steady it and the other lopping it off right against his team mates bill. Otherwise you are trying to cut often flimsy branches that bend away from the cuts, My only source for this is having spent a lot of time cutting branches.
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#14 | |
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