Weapon, Tool or Ceremonial AXE

Any clues on this one? Looks like it has been around for quite a few years. About 21 ½ inches long, quite heavy.

 

There's an old saying..
" You can't weave an old basket.....over a new bottle "




it looks like you have an old dug up tomahawk head...affixed to a much newer handle.
It's not unheard of...and used sometimes to preserve the original look of a good hawk head....but here I don't recognize the handle design...and the head ....unless it had papers...is almost impossible to date or identify where it came from......

 

Thanks for the reply.
I was sure the handle was newer, if it was buried with the head, it would be long gone was my guess. The shape of the handle and the Lizard on it seem to be rather odd.

 

I Think this is a "trade axe". here is more then you ever wanted to know about them:
https://www.furtradetomahawks.com/trade-axes--missouri-war-axes---8.html

 

Sounds good to me, I did find some info on the white "XL" Marking on the blade. Apparently, this marking was used as an inventory mark by a famous axe collector Robert Wheeler. I guess he dug up lots of old Indian stuff. I guess his collection was sold off years ago and some were purchased by Tom Richards, another big time axe collector. I did find that the axe came from him. So not so bad.

 

how did u match up the paper with your ax..?

did they come together......

 

The description looks like something from one of the EBAY fake relic dealers."this object came from XXX collection of a well known collector".

As far as the "XL" mark,it has been used by companies making knife blades and axe blades since the fur trade and Hudson Bay Co. 1700's-early 1800's. Also has been used by modern reproduction knife maker's including myself.

https://www.trackofthewolf.com/Categories/PartDetail.aspx/453/1/BLADE-NW-06

 

I just went back to the antique store where I purchased the axe last year and asked if the and any information on it. They told me it came from Tom Richards. They looked in there files while I was there and found the typed letter with the photo attached. Apparently Tom Richard lived in the same northern Wisconsin town as the antique store. It looks like several of Richards Collection axes are on sale now, all have the white painted X mark with different letters.

https://www.antiqueweaponstore.com/product/iroquois-grave-axe-18th-c/

French & Indian Wars Spike Tomahawk T. Richards Collection – Fine Antique Arms and Armour For Sale (antiquesarmoury.com)

 

Ok...so that's their photo...not taken from another source to confirm the attribution !!
It would be interesting to see the 1975 drawing.....
not conclusive......but interesting !

 

I just spent a little time looking for a citation for that 1957 article titled "The American Belt Axe." I didn't find a full citation, search results indicate that it seems to have been published in a periodical titled The American Arms Collector. Unfortunately, it seems that periodical was only published from 1957-1958, so not enough time for indexing services to have picked up on it, apparently. And I haven't found any digital copies online. WorldCat shows that 19 libraries own some or all of the issues. Eighteen of the libraries are in the U.S. and one in Canada. If interested, it might be a good idea for @Ranger Rick to contact a holding library to see if a reference librarian can identify a citation. Then you can request a copy of the article through Interlibrary Loan.

I found that Robert C. Wheeler published some books and articles, but don't know whether that drawing, or a photograph of the piece, would be in any of them. One of the books, for example, is Toast to the Fur Trade: A Picture Essay on Its Material Culture. Publ. 1985. I found copies for sale online.

 

I found a copy of the article and it shows the drawing on the top page 2.

 

good find Rick !!

That drawing may be the style.....but it's not a drawing of the ax you have...
also...
" old coin 1700's end cap , & brass tacks " , written on your document.....?
I'm having trouble seeing what that's about....

I think more research is needed by better folks than me.....

I hope 4 u that it's the real deal.....but I'm unsure that an ' antique store '...has the provenance to prove it.... imo.

 

As for the coin and tacks, the coin was held in the blade end of the handle with 2 brass tacks, it kept falling out. I removed it and just put the 2 brass tacks back in. there is one other in the end of the handle. (I have it lying around somewhere) Clearly the handle is much newer than the axe head. My guess was the coin was added to make the handle older? As for the drawing, Most trade axes have a small notch in the bottom of the blade near the handle and the top of the axe head is straight across at 90 degrees from the handle. On this axe the top of the blade sweep up as in the drawing. this axe also has a round hole per the definition in the article. The drawing shows a deeper cut in towards the blade tip than this one. I am sure this axe was sold to the antique store by Tom Richards. I see other richards axes are being sold on ebay and being Directly shiped from wisconsin.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Native-Ame...00-s-Thomas-Richards-Collection-/183820925295

I have read that he purchased many items from Wheelers collection. Before I purchased the axe they told me that it came from "TOM" with no further information. After I inquired further, they told me it was Tom Richards and that the had not seen him in a few years and his house had a for sale sign. After that they found the paperwork in the file. I think Tom is still alive in Florida? I may try to chase him down.

 

It's great that you found the article! Was it online somewhere, or did you get a copy from a print version?

 

I found a hard copy on ebay.

 

Great!