English Executioner’s Axe, 16th/17th C

Description

Axe head is hand forged with a lapped seam and convex 8 ½” cutting edge. It extends 14
½” from the handle and is mounted on an old hardwood shaft by a 7 ½” closed-ended
socket. There is a deeply struck but indistinct maker’s mark on the left side of the blade.
Head is uncleaned and shows pitting and dark brown rust patina. Unlike many axes with
offset blades often represented as executioner axes, but were in reality made for hewing
timbers, this axe has a center hung blade with cutting edge beveled on both sides. At 9
pounds total weight it is far too heavy to have been practical as a wood cutting axe. A
very similar example is the famous axe displayed in the Tower of London, known to have
been used for the execution of Lord Lovat in 1747. Block and accessories are shown for
illustration purposes only and are not included.