[IDENTIFICATION] Is this a Biscayne French trade axe?

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Pindvin

Joined
Dec 11, 2008
Messages
199
I recently acquired this axe:
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It'll be shipped to me on monday to be exactly. Now back to the topic. One guy on Axe Junkies says it's a French trade axe (Biscayne). I've gone through soem materials on the Biscayne axes and though i find them with several similiar stamps - none of the stamp or axe shape matches. http://www.furtradetomahawks.com/biscayne-trade-axes---9.html
From what i understand, the stamp shows some kind of a Jesuit cross? Idk. What do you guys think?
 
Square_peg said:
With that shape eye it looks more Eastern European to me. But I've seen that shape among French axes, too. I supposed the shape traveled across the continent.
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I was just going to say, that eye shape is most typically French or Eastern European.
 
Thank you for your replies. I also asked this question on two Facebook groups but there's still no answer. Even though I live in Europe I'm not sure where to look for information.
 
I'm under the impression that Biscayne and Basque trade axes featured round (or oval) eyes. This one doesn't look to have accidentally been mashed flat (to give it a D shape such as other European axes have) at the poll either.
 
I agree with all that has been said, I just wanted to add that it is not a trade axe.
 
jblyttle said:
I agree with all that has been said, I just wanted to add that it is not a trade axe.
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Not necessarily the case, but very likely so. Spalling of the cheeks of this item are iron-like and the blade insert delineation is obvious but other than that the stamp is what you're going to have to nail down. These fortunate markings are where you're gonna get answers.
For sure though this critter wasn't made yesterday!
 
300Six said:
Not necessarily the case, but very likely so. Spalling of the cheeks of this item are iron-like and the blade insert delineation is obvious but other than that the stamp is what you're going to have to nail down. These fortunate markings are where you're gonna get answers.
For sure though this critter wasn't made yesterday!
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It isn't a trade axe. Those were tomahawk like with simple round eyes and were differently shaped altogether. Also, this one looks larger. Also, note the the original poster stated that he lives in Europe.
 
The blade angle/shape is that of an end-grain-purposed axe such as an "haches de sabotier",a clog-makers's axe.
Except for the single bevel,but different people performed a similar chore differently.
Some examples:

http://www.forum-outils-anciens.com/t946-Identifier-une-hache.htm

http://www.forum-outils-anciens.com/t3931-identifier-une-hache.htm

Eye shape is rather France or Germany and further east,as been pointed out,the Iberian penninsula ones more often round or oval...

The "trade-axe" concept is so loose as to be virtually meaningless...Especially based on some of the more common(and less identified,in time and geography both)touchmarks...Afterall,ANYTHING could have been brought and traded in the colonies of the New World,and so many objects were,and they were all of them produced Somewhere in Europe...
 
well this is not a biscaine axe! this is a trade axe in the way that it was sold somehow! but not a fur trade axe. this is a antique axe wrought iron +steel insert no doubt about it. this can be a germanic made axe in a large way eastern France to slovaquia . Something like a carving axe for carpentry work. altought it could have been used in the wood beeing an axe!
http://www.forum-outils-anciens.com/t12249-Carpentier-ou-sabotier.htm
 
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i searched images on the web Under the german vocable "alt zimmermann beile" and found Nothing convincing...
 
I live I Poland but haven't seen one like this unless it was a reenactment piece. Either way it would be expensive. I paid around 15$
 
300Six said:
Only a few cups of Starbucks coffee. But, is this destined to be a 'user' or a 'display curio'?
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Firstly I wanted to restore it completely but now that I know it may have some historical value I'll just use electrolysis in order to clean it completely. Then I'll look for any additional stamps.
 
Kevin Houtzager said:
Starbucks coffee. That anybody can drink that shit!? That for Hipsters and Apple-users, so basically the same thing ;) Luckaly we have great coffee over here made locally (the grinding and burning at least) and some mighty fine imported coffee. Locally it's Kanis & Gunnink for me, and import would be Segafredo from Italy. Mix the 2 in equal amounts and you get some mighty fine coffee. I grind the beans myself, so everyday fresh. BEST.COFFEE.EVER.
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I don't visit Starbucks at all, and rarely buy coffee at Canuck-iconic Tim Hortons. Much like choices for booze I've become quite content to cultivate a taste for 'cheap'. When you can buy a 1 kg tin of Maxwell House dark roast on sale for $7 you can perc, press or drip perfectly good coffee at home for an entire month. I only brought up the price of fashionista coffee because so many people out there claim to be stretched thin financially but don't blink at buying 3-4 store-made coffees every day. $10 a day translates to $300 a month and $3500 a year! Compared to my investment of $7 (or $8 and sometimes $6) x 12 months = (under a $100) it frees up cash for hobbies, and more beer.
 
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