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Mark Routledge
Industry Professional
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 Posted: Sun 14 Aug, 2011 5:08 am Post subject: Prittlewell Seax |
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I think i'm in the right place for this now 
Thought I would post a pic of this one I made a while ago for the author Stephen Pollington.Found in an early Anglo Saxon context in Essex, England.
It is a slightly unusual seax with a straight back and long slim curve to the belly. I have not seen many with that profile in the UK from the early period although it reminds me somewhat of later medieval finds. Am I alone in this ? I can get quite inspired by the obscure and the unusual has anyone else come across this pattern elsewhere ? I have seen but a couple namely Kings worthy early AS cemetery in Hampshire UK and this one.
Just over 9 inches in the blade with an iron pommel.
www.wessexwildcraft.com
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Peter Cowan
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| Posted: Sun 14 Aug, 2011 11:20 am Post subject: prittlewell seax |
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Mark,
I really like this seax. It is beautiful and very elegant. Well done.
Any idea on the age of the "Prittlewell" seax?Would it be the early 6th Century?
Anyway, I love the lines of yours and the grip is terrific.
Stephen is very lucky.
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Tim Lison
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| Posted: Sun 14 Aug, 2011 1:49 pm Post subject: |
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This is a lovely piece. The grip is just outstanding. Really well done.
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David Huggins
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| Posted: Mon 15 Aug, 2011 12:07 am Post subject: Seax |
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Hi Mark
Great to see you getting your fine craft skills on display on the correct group  How about sharing some pics of your other great work here for fellow forumites?
best
Dave
and he who stands and sheds blood with us, shall be as a brother.
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Mark Routledge
Industry Professional
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| Posted: Mon 15 Aug, 2011 11:13 am Post subject: |
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Thanks for the interest guys.
Peter, I believe the date is early 7th cent on this one but I may need to double check. Glad to see I am sparking your interest
Tim thankyou it is Red deer antler polished back and hand carved, something I need to work on as I am not really very artistic at all. I can make a knife but ask me to draw it and I am lost. As carving means you need to draw the design first I struggle, the carving is not the issue, its the drawing.
Dave you are supportive as always, I will carry on working hard to live up to it, it is appreciated of course. I will look back at my past work to see what may interest the kindly fellows here and post a few pics.
www.wessexwildcraft.com
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Paul Hansen
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| Posted: Mon 15 Aug, 2011 11:28 am Post subject: |
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Really interesting piece!
Different, but still authentic looking. Impressive!
What kind of steel did you use? It looks laminated...
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Mark Routledge
Industry Professional
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| Posted: Mon 15 Aug, 2011 12:39 pm Post subject: |
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Thank you Paul,
It is unusual but based on the profile of the real thing, the pommel gave me the hilt length and approximate width as well.
Not laminated i'm afraid, 01 tool steel, the light is giving that effect. It is scary sharp though.
www.wessexwildcraft.com
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Jeroen Zuiderwijk
Industry Professional
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| Posted: Mon 15 Aug, 2011 4:43 pm Post subject: Re: Prittlewell Seax |
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| Mark Routledge wrote: | I think i'm in the right place for this now
Thought I would post a pic of this one I made a while ago for the author Stephen Pollington.Found in an early Anglo Saxon context in Essex, England.
http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg15/roots...0001-2.jpg
It is a slightly unusual seax with a straight back and long slim curve to the belly. I have not seen many with that profile in the UK from the early period although it reminds me somewhat of later medieval finds. Am I alone in this ? I can get quite inspired by the obscure and the unusual has anyone else come across this pattern elsewhere ? |
Below are a couple of continental examples. Normally the back curves slightly down near the tip, but as you can see, the bottom one has a practically straight spine. Mind though, while the british and continental saxes share a lot of features throughout their development, the british have their differences too (f.e. the pommel and bolster materials/designs in these narrow saxes). The blades on the continental examples are nearly always engraved with decorations, from simple lines to very complex patterns. The grips, when preserved, tend to be wood covered with a thin sheet of leather.
 Attachment: 29.04 KB
Attachment: 28.15 KB
Jeroen Zuiderwijk
- Bronze age living history in the Netherlands
- Barbarian metalworking
- Museum photos
- Zip-file with information about saxes
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Mark Routledge
Industry Professional
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| Posted: Mon 15 Aug, 2011 10:25 pm Post subject: |
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Thank you Jeroen, that is very useful.
I am familier with the top picture ( It is on my to do one day list ) but not the second, do you have any dimentions for that one ? It is very similer in profile to the Prittlewell seax but with a different design of pommel.
Interesting......very.
www.wessexwildcraft.com
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Tyler Keich
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| Posted: Mon 15 Aug, 2011 10:53 pm Post subject: |
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| Mark Routledge wrote: | Thanks for the interest guys.
Peter, I believe the date is early 7th cent on this one but I may need to double check. Glad to see I am sparking your interest
Tim thankyou it is Red deer antler polished back and hand carved, something I need to work on as I am not really very artistic at all. I can make a knife but ask me to draw it and I am lost. As carving means you need to draw the design first I struggle, the carving is not the issue, its the drawing.
Dave you are supportive as always, I will carry on working hard to live up to it, it is appreciated of course. I will look back at my past work to see what may interest the kindly fellows here and post a few pics. |
You're being far too modest. I find myself looking at your image gallery and admiring your art at least 3 times a week
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Michael Pearce
Industry Professional
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| Posted: Tue 16 Aug, 2011 12:52 pm Post subject: |
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Gorgeous- simply gorgeous! I love the detail on the scabbard as well. As usual a beautiful and well-executed historically inspired piece (Historically Inspired is not a subtle insult in my vernacular, just a description) Jeroen might be able to check me on this but I recall seeing other straight-spined saxes from Sweden.
Michael 'Tinker' Pearce
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Then one night, as my car was going backwards through a cornfield at 90mph, I had an epiphany...
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Mark Routledge
Industry Professional
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| Posted: Tue 16 Aug, 2011 2:02 pm Post subject: |
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| Michael Pearce wrote: | | Gorgeous- simply gorgeous! I love the detail on the scabbard as well. As usual a beautiful and well-executed historically inspired piece (Historically Inspired is not a subtle insult in my vernacular, just a description) Jeroen might be able to check me on this but I recall seeing other straight-spined saxes from Sweden. |
Thank you Michael,
Yes I agree there are a fair few later period swedish seax with straight backs. Not so commen in my neck of the woods though so interesting for their rarity.
www.wessexwildcraft.com
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This is a standard topic