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Dave M.




Location: United States
Joined: 13 Jun 2020

Posts: 6

PostPosted: Sun 14 Jun, 2020 8:24 am    Post subject: Let's see your original Skeggox         Reply with quote

Hey guys..I love Viking battle ax's. Specifically single handed versions. Lets see some of your originals Happy
Attached is an original from the 10th to 12th century. I bought from a private collection from the Ukraine. The condition is museum quality. Theres very little pitting which says this was not unearthed. This one was well taken care pf and passed down through the centuries. It still maintains mich of its edge in sharp form. Its really amazing. It begged to be rehafted so I obliged.



 Attachment: 63.61 KB
PhotoEditor_20200614_100316639_resized_500x750_pixels_resized_1000x1500_pixels_resized_160x240_pixels.jpg


"A cleaved head plots no longer."
Viking Wisdom.
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Zach Gordon




Location: Vermont. USA
Joined: 07 Oct 2008

Spotlight topics: 1
Posts: 252

PostPosted: Mon 15 Jun, 2020 5:53 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

That is not an original... it is a fake. It has nice lines, but nothing about it is indicative of a historical piece, and it was likely forged quite recently. That is a rough finished item, but not an archaeological piece (thankfully). You should be glad of this, as an original purchased from the Ukraine would have contravened the 1970 Unesco Convention, of which the US is a partner. You can read more about it here: https://en.unesco.org/sites/default/files/usa_implementing1970unescoconv_enorof.pdf

I would strongly advise against purchasing items like this from the Ukraine, or other parts of Eastern Europe. Any that were not in the USA prior to 1970 are illegal. So you are committing international trafficking if you purchase an item and have it shipped over to you. You can easily get in very serious trouble. The market is rampant with fraudulent items, and the vast majority you see on places like eBay are not real anyway.. that being said, authenticity is not super important when it comes to the law.. and you can still get in trouble.

Best case you get a fake, worst case you wind up in jail.
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Ian Hutchison




Location: Louisiana / Nordrhein-Westholland
Joined: 27 Nov 2007

Posts: 625

PostPosted: Mon 15 Jun, 2020 5:14 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Zach is right, it's almost certainly not original. The first red flag was the condition, which would be exceptional, the second red flag was 'Ukraine'.
'We are told that the pen is mightier than the sword, but I know which of these weapons I would choose.' - Adrian Carton de Wiart
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Dave M.




Location: United States
Joined: 13 Jun 2020

Posts: 6

PostPosted: Tue 16 Jun, 2020 5:46 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Thank you both for your replies. What an odd sense of releif and dissapointment. Thank you for informing me. I honestly had no idea about the legality of antiquities. As sad as I am this is fake, I am glad it ended with a bit of education.
That being said..I wont feel bad about reenactment with this piece. It looks the part at least.

"A cleaved head plots no longer."
Viking Wisdom.
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Don Stanko




Location: ohio
Joined: 27 Apr 2004
Likes: 1 page
Reading list: 482 books

Posts: 255

PostPosted: Tue 16 Jun, 2020 6:00 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

While I am not familiar with every facet of UNESCO, I do believe it’s main focus is on “stolen” cultural property. Otherwise, auction houses like Bonhams, Sotheby’s, Czerneys, and Herman Historica wouldn’t trade in antiquities. I know the U.K. allows some export governed by their Portable Antiquities Scheme.

However, I agree with the assessment of the axe head.
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Zach Gordon




Location: Vermont. USA
Joined: 07 Oct 2008

Spotlight topics: 1
Posts: 252

PostPosted: Wed 17 Jun, 2020 12:14 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Don Stanko wrote:
While I am not familiar with every facet of UNESCO, I do believe it’s main focus is on “stolen” cultural property. Otherwise, auction houses like Bonhams, Sotheby’s, Czerneys, and Herman Historica wouldn’t trade in antiquities. I know the U.K. allows some export governed by their Portable Antiquities Scheme.

However, I agree with the assessment of the axe head.


This may be worth separating out into a separate topic —but the short of it is one is responsible for proving that the item is not stolen/looted. There are three ways to look at the subject: the purpose and intent of the regulation (and what it actually means in practice), how to abide by the regulation, and how to ‘get around’ this regulation. Each is almost its own field of study.. but in general academia is focussed on the first, law on the second, and auction houses/dealers work with the third.

In regards to Bonhams, Sotheby’s, Czerny’s, etc.. they actually all do a form of due diligence to prove the items were in collections prior to 1970. While this isn’t always listed with the item, one can (and should) contact the auction house for the paperwork prior to bidding.

The PAS is great, I really support it.. but it wasnt actually designed to have anything to do with the international trade.. its focus is internal and on small finds and recording for academic research.
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David Martin




Location: Southeastern Pennsylvania
Joined: 11 Apr 2005

Posts: 165

PostPosted: Sun 21 Jun, 2020 5:45 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Hello Dave,

Thank you for posting this and for providing the community an educational opportunity. I'm sorry this didn't pan out in your favor.

With the change in the status of this axe head, you may be tempted to give it a swing or two. If you find yourself so inclined, please take the time to re-haft it, as what you have in the photo is potentially dangerous.

Typically axe hafts are inserted though the top of the eye of the axe head and hammered down. If proper wood (the haft should be thicker at the top and taper down) and technique is used, it is virtually impossible for the axe head to come off.

On your axe the top of the haft is thinner above the eye than below, indicating that you hammered the axe head down onto the haft, the reverse of what should have been done. Over time, whether you use the axe or not, the wood is going to shrink and the axe head is going to loosen. Sooner or later, that axe head is coming off. Citing Murphy's law, it will likely be at a most inopportune moment.

There are a number of videos on YouTube that can demonstrate the process much better than I'm describing it.

Good luck and stay safe!

"When war-gods meet to match their might,
who can tell the bravest born?
Many a hero never made a hole
in another man's breast."

- Sigurd, The Lay of Fafnir
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