Description
Hand-forged iron head with deeply concave axe blade ending with sharp points and pierced with three cloverleaf cutouts; angled rear beak pierced with cloverleaf cutout and deeply stamped with maker’s mark “HW”. Slender 23” diamond-section thrusting spike. Long integrally forged side straps with reinforcing band (“Zwinge” in German), and mounted on a very good old rectangular-section wood shaft with beveled edges. Very good condition, the metal generally smooth and showing lamination. Length of metal 41 1/2” (104.4 cm), overall 94 1/2” (240 cm). Similar examples can be found in the Landeszeughaus (state arsenal) Graz, part of the Steiermarkisches Landesmuseum in Graz, Austria. Styria, in southeastern Austria, faced conflict with the Ottoman Empire for centuries, and thus it maintained a constant military readiness and stockpile of weapons.
17th C Halberd, Probably English 
Rare German Halberd Axe, Late 15th C 
Rare Italian Artillery Linstock, Florence, Late 16th C 
English Gothic Bill, Probably 15th C