"Fist-shaped" clubs/maces? -- myArmoury.com

David W. Hughett · Posted: Tue 05 Jun, 2007 2:24 pm Post subject: "Fist-shaped" clubs/maces?

Hi! This is my first post to this forum!

Does any one know where I can find pics/info about "fist-shaped" clubs and/or maces, with the head in the shape of a fist? I know I have seen images of such weapons, but I do not recall where!

Thanks for any information you can give me!

Craig Peters · Posted: Tue 05 Jun, 2007 3:04 pm Post subject:

David,

I can't really help too much, save for mentioning that fist shaped clubs were a late medieval/Renaissance phenomenon, so you should be looking for stuff from that period. I would be surprised if there were any such clubs before the 15th century.

Sorry I can't be of greater assistance,

Craig

David W. Hughett · Posted: Tue 05 Jun, 2007 3:12 pm Post subject:

Chad Arnow · myArmoury Team

I knew I'd seen one of these somewhere, I just had to dig through the bookshelves to find it.

The hand is of bronze, the spike of steel and the whole thing is dated to the early 15th century, south Germany.

John Cooksey · Posted: Tue 05 Jun, 2007 3:49 pm Post subject:

Chad Arnow · myArmoury Team

From our photo albums, here are some more pics:

http://www.myArmoury.com/albums/photo/1003.html
http://www.myArmoury.com/albums/photo/1005.html

This is froma Hermann Historica auction. It's German and dated 14th-15th century.

John Cooksey · Posted: Tue 05 Jun, 2007 3:54 pm Post subject:

Hugh Knight · Posted: Tue 05 Jun, 2007 3:56 pm Post subject:

There's a great picture of one in use in Talhoffer's Alte Armatur und Ringkunst:
http://img.kb.dk/ha/manus/th290/kamp0163.jpg
Alas, however, unsuccessfully:
http://img.kb.dk/ha/manus/th290/kamp0164.jpg

Someone used to make a version of this for sale, but unfortunately I don't remember who. I thought it was Arms and Armor, but I checked their site and they don't have it listed.

Chad Arnow · myArmoury Team

Valentine did used to make or import one.

Merv Cannon · Posted: Tue 05 Jun, 2007 8:58 pm Post subject: Spike hammer

Just an idea here.....I've had a lot of sucess by looking up the items name in German and then going to the Yahoo Germany site ... http://de.yahoo.com/ ...and doing a picture search. It seems to pull in ( mostly ) many of the European manfacturers that wouldnt come up in an English search term. Sometimes its also worked well in other foreign Yahoo sites too although I am far better with my limited German. I sometimes use this Eng/Germ dict. .... http://wolfram.schneider.org/dict/ but theres prob much better ones around on-line.
I dont know if they have foreign Google sites...I prefer Google generally.
Cheers

Steven H · Posted: Tue 05 Jun, 2007 11:01 pm Post subject:

I believe that Jan Hus was famous for just such a mace. I'll have to rummage my books to find the images.

-Steven

Christopher Finneman · Posted: Tue 05 Jun, 2007 11:14 pm Post subject:

The company Lutel has one in thier maces/warhammers section. You should check that one out to.
Not sure of the exact web site but I always google " lutel swords"

Hope that helps

Felix Kunze · Posted: Wed 06 Jun, 2007 12:09 am Post subject:

Maybe this is the picture Steven thought of. Jan Hus (Zizka) leading his Hussite troops, a book illustration of around 1464. Maces were often used more as symbols of power by commanders, which is especially true for these fist shaped maces, but the lethal quality was often enhanced by adding a spike or a small dagger to the fist.

Chad Arnow · myArmoury Team

Sean Flynt · Posted: Wed 06 Jun, 2007 11:15 am Post subject:

I know I've seen at least one (on a long haft) among the woodcuts of Albrecht Dürer, ca. 1510.

David W. Hughett · Posted: Thu 07 Jun, 2007 2:05 pm Post subject:

Thanks very much for all this information!