VERY OLD Axe ? Indian weapon?

[Antique lover]

I just got this today.The older person I got it from, said that he was told that it was something used by the indians.It looks like it had a longer handle at one time.It is very well made.It is heavy.It is sharp all the way around it.Any info would be GREAT !

 

[Macaco]

n/t

 

[Antique lover]

Still trying to find out what this was used for.DOES ANYBODY have a clue ??????

 

[fiat128]

I think it's africain, not indian. I've seen weapons like that in antique books before.

 

[GOLD&OLDIES]

It looks like it could possibly be some sort of skinning tool used by Eskimos for skinning whales, just a guess.looks like a pretty cool wall hanger. H.H. Kevin

 

[Steve(Can)]

from the link below:

>>>Description
An iron shank with a socket at one end, fitted to a wooden pole with rope attached. The blade of the lance is oval, with a sharp cutting edge all round.

See Lytle, p132: "The hand lance, known as the killing iron, was the implement used to kill a whale... it was plunged into the whale in the area of its 'life' the large areas of oxygenated blood in reserve for long dives.... the lance consisted of an iron shank, five to six feet long, with a standard socket at one end for mounting to a pole. The blade of the lance was oval, or petal-shaped, approximately five inches long and two inches wide, and it was razor sharp on all edges. It was designed to be withdrawn and used repeatedly."<<<

http://collections.tepapa.govt.nz/objectdetails.aspx?oid=129164&coltype=history&regno=t000636
more info here
http://www.whalecraft.net/Lances.html

 

[JG_in_NC]

It may be an auger or bit for coring logs?
They used something similar but more pointed on Mythbusters for the tree cannon.

 

[GoGoGopher]

I think it looks like an old pot stirring tool, for big kettles....


HH,

GoGoGopher

 

[1859large]

Judging from the tiles behind it it is big enough to slide under a loaf of bread in an old brick, wood fired oven. .It looks to be 12" x 8" to me.

It is probably not really old, the early ones where made of wood, yes wood! They did not burn the bread in an hour in the oven, so a quick slide in and out would not burn the wood.

A tool for cutting up whales would be my second guess, they ran a lot of whaling ships out of New England in the 1800s.

HH

1859