Qajar period ? Axe with lion head hammer

kronckew · 4th January 2022, 10:03 AM

From the above photos, I'm putting my money on it being a flat blade welded to the square centre piece, as will be the 'hammer head'. The small hole for the top spear finial does not bode well, and a photo of the lower section socket might reveal a rather narrow opening for an undersized iron haft. All in all a nice parade axe, but notaweapon.

The jury is still out on my Sindh dagger axe with the elephant 'hammer' & silver decorations. Sharp axe blade IS tapered but still fairly thin where it is welded to the square centre. At least I have a dagger backup if the head falls apart after hitting someone. Would also be handy for dispatching an armoured opponent thru an eye-hole or mail. The top spike would really annoy someone if you poke them with it. Bronze elly dovetailed into the head might work against an unarmoured opponent hit in a vulnerable spot. Ball pommel might also act as a mace...(insert missing forum shrug smilie)

HERE

ariel · 6th January 2022, 08:23 PM

Your " elephant" axe with a hidden dagger strongly reminds me of the Kutch Bhuj ( or Gandasa, as per Elgood): those traditionally have elephant head on the basis of the blade ( another name for them is " Elephant Axe"), and the majority ( if not all of them) a stiletto dagger screwed into the handle.

If the blade is flat, my guess would be that overall it is a Kutch parade thing.

Cthulhu · 7th January 2022, 01:39 AM

Like Marius, I haven't seen this style of hammer-side before. I'm intrigued by it.

My understanding is that axes weren't used as weapons during the Qajar period. Thus most axes made then were generally decorative. Axes that were actually used would be subject to enormous force on the blade (since the blade is designed to break things, and not be broken itself) and thus were typically made in one piece, of thick metal, and very much wedge shaped. This allowed a lot of force to be concentrated in a small area.
Qajar decorative axes were made in multiple pieces, of thinner metal, and much larger than the usual war axe.

I speculate that there was a evolution over time with these decorative axes, with the block holding the front and back starting in a rounded shape more like a real axe, and ending in a very easy-to-make block shape. Also the back starting as solid metal that was split and bent into decorative shapes, then later made as a hollow model of same, and then just cut out of flat metal. To be clear, I don't know this to be true, it could have more to do with the manufacturer, but it seems pretty plausible. And that's what intrigues me about this axe; can you tell if that "lion" is solid or hollow? Is it maybe the very beginning of the transition from solid metal block to split curlicues?

4th January 2022, 10:03 AM	#1
kronckew Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Room 101, Glos. UK Posts: 4,224	From the above photos, I'm putting my money on it being a flat blade welded to the square centre piece, as will be the 'hammer head'. The small hole for the top spear finial does not bode well, and a photo of the lower section socket might reveal a rather narrow opening for an undersized iron haft. All in all a nice parade axe, but notaweapon. The jury is still out on my Sindh dagger axe with the elephant 'hammer' & silver decorations. Sharp axe blade IS tapered but still fairly thin where it is welded to the square centre. At least I have a dagger backup if the head falls apart after hitting someone. Would also be handy for dispatching an armoured opponent thru an eye-hole or mail. The top spike would really annoy someone if you poke them with it. Bronze elly dovetailed into the head might work against an unarmoured opponent hit in a vulnerable spot. Ball pommel might also act as a mace...(insert missing forum shrug smilie) HERE Attached Images Last edited by kronckew; 4th January 2022 at 10:33 AM.

6th January 2022, 08:23 PM	#2
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	Your " elephant" axe with a hidden dagger strongly reminds me of the Kutch Bhuj ( or Gandasa, as per Elgood): those traditionally have elephant head on the basis of the blade ( another name for them is " Elephant Axe"), and the majority ( if not all of them) a stiletto dagger screwed into the handle. If the blade is flat, my guess would be that overall it is a Kutch parade thing. Last edited by ariel; 6th January 2022 at 08:42 PM.

7th January 2022, 01:39 AM	#3
Cthulhu Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: Central Valley, California Posts: 46	Like Marius, I haven't seen this style of hammer-side before. I'm intrigued by it. My understanding is that axes weren't used as weapons during the Qajar period. Thus most axes made then were generally decorative. Axes that were actually used would be subject to enormous force on the blade (since the blade is designed to break things, and not be broken itself) and thus were typically made in one piece, of thick metal, and very much wedge shaped. This allowed a lot of force to be concentrated in a small area. Qajar decorative axes were made in multiple pieces, of thinner metal, and much larger than the usual war axe. I speculate that there was a evolution over time with these decorative axes, with the block holding the front and back starting in a rounded shape more like a real axe, and ending in a very easy-to-make block shape. Also the back starting as solid metal that was split and bent into decorative shapes, then later made as a hollow model of same, and then just cut out of flat metal. To be clear, I don't know this to be true, it could have more to do with the manufacturer, but it seems pretty plausible. And that's what intrigues me about this axe; can you tell if that "lion" is solid or hollow? Is it maybe the very beginning of the transition from solid metal block to split curlicues? Attached Images