An old hatchet

[Steve in VA]

This came up when a well was being dug on my grandparents farm near Decatur, Illinois. Is is both a hatchet and a pipe. The handle is a replacement of course.

 

[Geo-TH,In]

Thanks, never seen anything like that.
I'm thinking there must have been something in the round end and a screw went through the hold to hold it in place. Just a guess..

 

[Steve in VA]

According to a few museums, the open end was literally a tobacco pipe. The handle would have been hollow. All that seems to me to make it ceremonial since the hollow handle would degrade its use as a tool or weapon.

 

[Janicholson]

Could be worth 1000 or more if authentic (probably is) Jim

 

[steel]

What an awesome find, especially on the family farm. It really deserves a better handle.

 

[Richard G.]

Wow, thanks for posting that.
That is neat.

 

[Russ from MN]

Combination peace pipe/tomahawk? Useful no matter how things go!

 

[RESLLS]

Late 1700 to early 1800's. Trade hatchet. Here's a collector's site. If you can find a touch mark on it that would help date it. There is one very similar in member axes.
Click

 

[Steve in VA]

Wow. Nice link. Thanks so much. I'll see if I can find a similar.

 

[72supr]

Nice find.

 

[Bob Harvey]

Shingle hammer.

 

[Bret4207]

(quoted from post at 07:04:01 02/04/22) Late 1700 to early 1800's. Trade hatchet. Here's a collector's site. If you can find a touch mark on it that would help date it. There is one very similar in member axes.
Click

Yup, but a gazillion reproductions have been made since the 1970's, so verifying the authenticity is important before assuming it's an original.

 

[SweetFeet]

That is really neat!