Early Islamic(?) Battle Axe

RSWORD · 9th June 2009, 02:21 AM

Would love to get some feedback about this item as it is a bit outside my area of knowledge but I probably know enough to either get me in trouble or make a good find. This axe has some characteristics that seem early to me. I lean towards an Islamic origin of this piece based on the shape of the head. I am not familiar with any European battle axe with this shape head. Please correct me if I am wrong. I find it interesting how the blade goes all the way down to the wooden haft, not unlike some Mamluk examples. The most exciting part of this example is the deep makers stamp. Does anyone recognize the marking? It looks like a fish to me and I do know many early Islamic swords in the topkopi are marked with a fish, granted a longer, skinnier fish, but a fish nonetheless. It is put together in an interesting fashion. You can see an obvious join on one side but on the opposite side of that the join is in the middle of the area between the crescent head and the "socket". The socket is forged in one piece. The handle was inserted into the socket and it appears a metal cap was welded on top to hold it in place. It really seems to have a lot of age to it and I look forward to opinions on this item.

RSWORD · 11th June 2009, 05:48 PM

In discussing this piece with several people am getting some interesting feedback. Given how the axe is constructed, it seems to be a bit on the cruder side and the lack of a counterbalance or spike seems to rule out a battle axe that would have been used against armour. I see similarities in the construction to the Indian Bullova as far as having the head away from the shaft with a simple socket around the handle. I am wondering if this points more towards a tribal designation for this piece. Perhaps something in the Islamic sphere? I am wondering if this might possibly be Sudanese? Oman? Ethiopia? Someone suggested the mark might be an Ethiopian letter in Amharic? Just wanted to toss this out to see if it might spur some discussion.

CharlesS · 12th June 2009, 12:46 AM

Having seen the sword...and it is quite an interesting and nice piece...I just do not think it is in the bullova family.

Jim McDougall · 18th June 2009, 10:48 PM

Hi Rick,
Surprised this has not received more attention, at first thought this might be variation of Russian bardiche, but now believe Polish axe, probably mid to late 17th century. The stamped marking may, as you have noted, be a tamga, an ancient ancestral marking form that became foundation in degree for many heraldric devices, those in Poland in particular.
The Russian bardiche has more elaborately profiled blade, but the contact of the bottom of blade with haft characteristic.

All the best,
Jim

RSWORD · 19th June 2009, 02:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CharlesS

Having seen the sword...and it is quite an interesting and nice piece...I just do not think it is in the bullova family.

Ummmmm, it is an axe.

RSWORD · 19th June 2009, 02:33 AM

Hey Jim,

I have had quite a few great "offline" discussions about this piece and as you have mentioned the consensus is starting to point towards a Polish origin for this one and the marking being some kind of tamgha makes a lot of sense. Now, we just need to find out if it is a known clan mark or not. I appreciate all the feedback and assistance I have received in researching a type of item we don't often get to discuss here on the forum.

Dom · 19th June 2009, 02:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RSWORD

Perhaps something in the Islamic sphere?

if it is, it's from far .... very far

à +

Dom (from Lincolnway West, South Bend, IN, USA)

9th June 2009, 02:21 AM	#1
RSWORD Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Greensboro, NC Posts: 1,083	Early Islamic(?) Battle Axe Would love to get some feedback about this item as it is a bit outside my area of knowledge but I probably know enough to either get me in trouble or make a good find. This axe has some characteristics that seem early to me. I lean towards an Islamic origin of this piece based on the shape of the head. I am not familiar with any European battle axe with this shape head. Please correct me if I am wrong. I find it interesting how the blade goes all the way down to the wooden haft, not unlike some Mamluk examples. The most exciting part of this example is the deep makers stamp. Does anyone recognize the marking? It looks like a fish to me and I do know many early Islamic swords in the topkopi are marked with a fish, granted a longer, skinnier fish, but a fish nonetheless. It is put together in an interesting fashion. You can see an obvious join on one side but on the opposite side of that the join is in the middle of the area between the crescent head and the "socket". The socket is forged in one piece. The handle was inserted into the socket and it appears a metal cap was welded on top to hold it in place. It really seems to have a lot of age to it and I look forward to opinions on this item. Attached Images

11th June 2009, 05:48 PM	#2
RSWORD Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Greensboro, NC Posts: 1,083	In discussing this piece with several people am getting some interesting feedback. Given how the axe is constructed, it seems to be a bit on the cruder side and the lack of a counterbalance or spike seems to rule out a battle axe that would have been used against armour. I see similarities in the construction to the Indian Bullova as far as having the head away from the shaft with a simple socket around the handle. I am wondering if this points more towards a tribal designation for this piece. Perhaps something in the Islamic sphere? I am wondering if this might possibly be Sudanese? Oman? Ethiopia? Someone suggested the mark might be an Ethiopian letter in Amharic? Just wanted to toss this out to see if it might spur some discussion.

12th June 2009, 12:46 AM	#3
CharlesS Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Greenville, NC Posts: 1,855	Having seen the sword...and it is quite an interesting and nice piece...I just do not think it is in the bullova family.

18th June 2009, 10:48 PM	#4
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 9,896	Hi Rick, Surprised this has not received more attention, at first thought this might be variation of Russian bardiche, but now believe Polish axe, probably mid to late 17th century. The stamped marking may, as you have noted, be a tamga, an ancient ancestral marking form that became foundation in degree for many heraldric devices, those in Poland in particular. The Russian bardiche has more elaborately profiled blade, but the contact of the bottom of blade with haft characteristic. All the best, Jim

19th June 2009, 02:33 AM	#6
RSWORD Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Greensboro, NC Posts: 1,083	Hey Jim, I have had quite a few great "offline" discussions about this piece and as you have mentioned the consensus is starting to point towards a Polish origin for this one and the marking being some kind of tamgha makes a lot of sense. Now, we just need to find out if it is a known clan mark or not. I appreciate all the feedback and assistance I have received in researching a type of item we don't often get to discuss here on the forum.