Rusty axe -- myArmoury.com

Luka Tic · Posted: Thu 13 Nov, 2008 8:14 am Post subject: Rusty axe

I'm not too good in English so I'll write it short and simple.
Got this axe on an antique sale for 5$.
The head was mounted on a 1.5m shaft when I bought it.
Is it actually an "antique" or a piece of trash?
The pics were taken by cell phone.

Thank you in advance

Sean Flynt · Posted: Thu 13 Nov, 2008 8:29 am Post subject:

My first thought is that it's a fine (and genuine) variant of the "goose wing" axe, in the same family as this American example:

http://www.jimbodetools.com/4371.jpg

It looks like a cross between that and a European "Doloire" or "waggoner's axe":

http://www.goantiques.com/scripts/images,id,1536397.html

It can certainly be used as a weapon, but the offset blade suggests that it was made as a tool. That form allows the user to literally "hew to the line" and create a flat surface on a log.

You got a very, very good price, in my opinion. Protect the piece, but don't try to clean it. It's beautiful as it is.

Craig Johnson · Industry Professional

Hello Luka

The axe does have the look of an antique. But as to the time frame it was made in I am not sure. These styles of axe were made well into the 19th C as symbols and decoration. Yours looks a bit more than that but may well be 17th or 18th C in manufacture. The offset eye often is associated with wood working axes. This is also reminicent of the "Miners Axes" of the continent. I believe these were used as symbols of office and participation in guilds/faternal organizations. But I am not up on the extent and details of such.

The decoration on the axe is perfectly good for many periods.

All in all I would say it was definitely worth $5 Happy

Best
Craig

Sean Flynt · Posted: Thu 13 Nov, 2008 8:57 am Post subject:

"Rusty Axe" is also an excellent stage name, by the way.

Sa'ar Nudel · Posted: Thu 13 Nov, 2008 10:48 am Post subject:

I mostly agree with the folks above. Axes are my field.
This is an excellent piece of folk art, one of many types of hewing side axes from central Europe, I blieve it is Styrian, a region in Austria.
The deep silver-grey tone suggests it has been already cleaned off the active brown rust, this is the desirable tone but you must coat it with a thin film of wax.
The haft is contemporary and much too long. For display I would have cut it to almost one third of its length and give it an aged look.
$5? I'm turning green of envy here... Wink

Sean Flynt · Posted: Thu 13 Nov, 2008 11:46 am Post subject:

Notice the similar decoration on this 18th c. German axe from Hermann Historica. Caption for the lot is as follows:

Zimmermannsbeil und zwei Äxte,

deutsch, 18.Jhdt. Großes Zimmermannsbeil mit langer, geschränkter Bartklinge. Schauseitig tief geschlagene Marken und Zierdekor. Kantige Tülle. Dazu zwei Äxte mit tief geschlagenen Schmiedemarken. Schäfte ergänzt. Länge 95, 60 und 72 cm.

Bruno Giordan · Posted: Thu 13 Nov, 2008 11:57 am Post subject:

venetian dolaora, from latin dolabra.

An axe for squaring logs, a carpenter tool, used also by oar makers.

Our variant is substantially rectangular.

So yours is not from my area (northern Italy, likely all Italy) for sure.

Last year a friend got a good dolaora with engravings a bit more refined than yours for 90 euros, I have seen other examples going up to 150 and more. All from a trentine monastry, though.

So you paid almost nothing for it.