Need help identifying axe for museum

B

bulletsnbait

Joined
May 28, 2013
Messages
5
During an exploratory dig of an old burnt down overseer's house (burnt 1942) as part of the historic poor farm, we discovered an axe head. It could be newer than what we're looking for, but it might be right where we want it to be, as well. The poor farm operated from the 18teens to 1950 (give or take a year or two). It'd be really great if this axe head fell in those years. We found a few other things on our dig, but this particular item is too rusted to see any identifying markers. Here's a basic drawing of what the axe head looks like. What we'd like to know is make, model, approximate years of manufacture and a cost at the time. :)

 
A picture might help to date it. Earlier axes may show a bit more evidence of hammering. After 1890 or so axes were more finely finished with grinding and polishing to eliminate the remaining hammer marks. Those lugs are characteristic of various patterns, most commonly the Jersey pattern, but earlier Pennsylvania smiths used them too. It may be impossible to determine the maker since different companies made similar patterns. Still, pre-1950 most likely.
 
It's a Jersey pattern. Virtually every major axe maker used that pattern. No way to ID it unless you find some markings when you clean it up (if you clean it up). From the very square shape I would guess that to be an older model - it just doesn't quite look right for a late Jersey. Take this all with a grain of salt. Two years buried in cow shit will make a brand new axe look like that.
 
Ill pay to ship that axe to me, you let me clean it up, restore it, Ill pay to ship it back with any info I find out on it.
 
PS Looks like a Kentucky pattern, (in the Jersey family as stated above). Where is the farm?

Also, if it is from pre 1850, it is more than likely a local product, especially if on a farm, as most product on a farm during the 1800s where never more than 20 miles away....not always but usually. So the location could have a lot to say about who made it. If it is post 1850, it also grows in chance to come from one of the major axe manufacturers, Kelly, Mann, Collins, Plumb, Warren.

Of course it could be from a local yocal blacksmith down the road in 1880 and you can take everything I said and throw it out the window - hence why I love axes.
 
LOL! Thanks for the information. This axe came from the Greenbrier County Poor Farm in West Virginia. Currently, there are restoration/excavation efforts to turn it into an educational historic site. A concert held every year (www.poorfarmfest.com) raises money towards the effort of restoring one of the last few surviving poor farm sites in West Virginia. A second festival (www.badlandsbluegrass.com) is held annually to raise money to restore Fort McCoy, the oldest surviving structure in Greenbrier County that dates back to the revolutionary war. Operator 1975 -- If you would private message me your information, and an estimated cost of restoration, with perhaps some pictures of ones you've done before, I could propose it to the board and if they approve, we can certainly do something about it! :)
 
If I can restore it for proper museum quality there is no charge - I just want to help. If it will help others and preserve the history of axes and the time period - it's worth it to me.
 
Operator will do it up right, and likely be able to give you more info than you have now. I hope we can all see this thing beautifully restored:)
 
I will propose it to the board, and will let you guys know when I find out. It may be a few months before I get an answer either way, as they tend to 'table' things and then they'll refer them to committee for prices, etc. You know how it goes. :D
 
I would not restore it any further than a thorough cleaning and a gun wax coating to prevent rust. I say this not as any kind of axe-guru but as someone who was a museum professional for five years. Conservation treatments (altering of the chemical and/or physical aspects) and restoration should only be done in the last resort to prevent the objects destruction and then only to the degree needed to keep the object for deteriorating further.

P.S. wire brushes are the devil.

The National Park Service has guidelines to the care, storage, and handling of 3D artifacts.

Here is a link to the Henry Ford Museum's Care for Historical Iron.
 
Unistat76 said:
I would not restore it any further than a thorough cleaning and a gun wax coating to prevent rust. I say this not as any kind of axe-guru but as someone who was a museum professional for five years. Conservation treatments (altering of the chemical and/or physical aspects) and restoration should only be done in the last resort to prevent the objects destruction and then only to the degree needed to keep the object for deteriorating further.

P.S. wire brushes are the devil.

The National Park Service has guidelines to the care, storage, and handling of 3D artifacts.

Here is a link to the Henry Ford Museum's Care for Historical Iron.
Click to expand...

What about rust removal via electrolysis? Maybe I shoulda gone to the link before asking the question? Oh well.
 
Unistat76 said:
I would not restore it any further than a thorough cleaning and a gun wax coating to prevent rust. I say this not as any kind of axe-guru but as someone who was a museum professional for five years. Conservation treatments (altering of the chemical and/or physical aspects) and restoration should only be done in the last resort to prevent the objects destruction and then only to the degree needed to keep the object for deteriorating further.

P.S. wire brushes are the devil.

The National Park Service has guidelines to the care, storage, and handling of 3D artifacts.

Here is a link to the Henry Ford Museum's Care for Historical Iron.
Click to expand...

I never said I was going to use a wire brush.
 
Operator1975 said:
I never said I was going to use a wire brush.
Click to expand...

Sorry, I didn't mean to imply it. I've just seen lots of great artifacts "restored" so well they are not suitable for museum display. I'm not saying that would be the case here, just offering words of caution and some industry literature and guidelines.

Let it be known that I have no problem with more ah, aggressive restoration if it is for a personal collection or use. There's just a different standard for museum artifacts.

I've known conservators who've cleaned wooden cabinets with q-tips moistened with saliva. Saliva is ever so slightly acidic and can break up grime without affecting the wood. This guy was serious about historic preservation!
 
Good information, unistat76. And while we wish we were as lavish and big as the Henry Ford museum... we're just a little Podunk town museum. :) We don't have a lot of money, most of what we have comes from our newsletter subscriptions, and those are limited. But, we do try, and we want to do it right.
 
I hear you bulletsnbait. I used to work for a house museum (3 houses really) but my boss was trained at THF so we did things by the book, literally! I ended up working with archives more and she did the 3D stuff but there was only the 2 of us, an intern and some volunteers. It might be slower going but most artifact preservation is surprisingly low tech.
 
Here is one that is quite similar.
001.JPG

002.JPG

I think this is shortly after the Civil War but It is a guess(maybe a bad one?). It is stamped Continental Warranted Cast Steel. With an old turned handle that is for sure not its first.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top