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Axe, Colin Bill
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No handle in evidence. Two rivets still in place, one which moves freely and one ceased. Generally sound although heavy corrosion and pitting has occurred all over. The axe head has seen heavy use with obvious signs of wear on rear of blade where a section has fractured away due to use. The damage is consistent with repeated impacts from hammering on the back edge. The museum card gives the uses for this axe as for cutting hop poles and hedge stakes. Further investigation gives this as a type of hedging axe or bill. A diagram of a similar shaped axe with a long handle can be found in the book 'Farm tools though the ages' by Michael Partridge. This also states that the design has been around since before the Romans but was subject to local variation. This ties in with the odd name of a 'Colin Bill' of which no other reference has been found outside the collection. The museum card also states that this style of tool was becoming quite rare by 1880.
| Details | |
|---|---|
| Accession Number | 1269 |
| Date | 1850 - 1901 |
| Period | Victorian |
| Collection | Social History |
| Technique | Hand-made |
| Material | Wrought iron; Steel |
| Creator | |
| Name | |
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