Antiques Roadshow Hatchet

[FortyTwoBlades]

It's only the handle on this piece that's embellished, though. And the style of the handle embellishment seams out of place with the style of the head. Makes me wonder if it was a souvenir or trophy of some kind that a fellow brought back and mounted on the fancy handle.

 

[not2sharp]

It's only the handle on this piece that's embellished, though. And the style of the handle embellishment seams out of place with the style of the head. Makes me wonder if it was a souvenir or trophy of some kind that a fellow brought back and mounted on the fancy handle.

Or the original handle broke and someone made their own.

n2s

 

[FortyTwoBlades]

Or the original handle broke and someone made their own.

n2s

Yup! Though I feel that that degree of fancy carving on such a disproportionately small handle relative to the head may be indicative that the handle itself was for display purposes rather than use.

 

[cityofthesouth]

I feel more and more like the handle, even if kept inside, would not have survived 4 centuries, or even three, in that condition (and really, the same goes for the head). Handle looks like a table leg to me. Ha!!

 

[FortyTwoBlades]

I really don't think it's as old as they say it is, but I think it was a display handle, not one that was used.