Description: 19th century French boarding axe consisting of a steel axe head attached to a hard wood handle with steel re-enforced upper shaft.


History: Boarding weapons in the Age of Sail consisted of grenades, muskets, pistols, cutlasses, numerous other blades, and the short-barreled shotguns called blunderbusses. Until the 19th century introduction of the percussion cap, sailors preferred to use flintlocks whenever possible, as the lighted match of a matchlock was extremely dangerous to use on board a ship. Spanish and Portuguese sailors, especially officers, were known to use the rapier throughout the 17th and even into the 18th century, but the close-quarter nature of boarding combat rendered these lengthy swords very ineffective. An important multipurpose weapon was the boarding axe, useful for attacking the enemy, but also essential for chopping down doors and bulkheads to break into closed quarters where defenders of a ship could barricade themselves. The heavy blade could also cut grappling lines.

Provenance: N/A


Dimensions: Weight (Pounds & Ounces) = 4 | Height(in) = 26 | Width(in) = 13 | Depth(in) = 3

Size of Artwork(in): 22 x 10 x 1.50


Artist Name: N/A


Medium: Steel/Wood


Circa: 1800's

Good condition with deep age patina and two nicks in the blade.