The best axe I have found

[larson1951]

I found this on the surface of a dirt road leading to the field
I had been driving over this for years and I kept seeing shiny black
It got a little bigger each year until about 2 inches of it was showing
last year I stopped and took a screw driver and poked beside it and pryed it loose
I almost crapped my pants when I saw what I found

 

[larson1951]

here is the other side

 

[jamey]

thats it,im playing the numbers i see on your hand tomm.and if i win im comming to visit ya for a year..... great find jamey

 

[coteau]

Now that's a sweet little axe! Way to go Steve

 

[blindpig]

WOW !! , That's a nice axe ,... I've been enjoying your post's here the last week or two [?] , good job there Larson !! Amazing what you have found in the last 30 yr's . And how ,on a tractor ? I do wonder how many "Corn-stalk" bones you have had to go look at !! One farmer in Iowa showed me 3 5-gal. buckets of axe's he found from his tractor , he even offered me one .





Anyway , heres a scan of a photo of my maul that I found in S.D. [few miles from Iowa ] . Like your axe , I found it in a field road , there was only about a silver doller size bit of it showing, I looked at it , walked away some 50 ft. , whent back and hacked it out with a pocket-knife ,.. it's not like it was the only stone in that road either!!

Sooo,..... This is your "best" axe ?? Well ,... I can only speak for myself here , ...... but if you where to put a few more up here , I would'nt mind having a look ,.......as long as theres a good story with 'em

Thanks again , Blindpig

 

[larson1951]

OK Blindpig, I will put some more up but I do think the one I just posted was by far the nicest one I have ever found(in my life)
After giving it some thought I don't have a better axe but I have some celts that are worth posting
they are made from a greenish heavy dense material

 

[Adena_man]

Way to go! Very nice axe!

 

[Flintfinder of Mo.]

Thats a dandy, and sure looks like they used it. Nice Axe. John

 

[quito]

Very cool little axe there.

A friend of mine had the road grader deposit a nice celt right at the base of his mail-box a couple years ago. He pulled it up off the road shoulder grading that day.

Just goes to show you never know where your next artifact is going to come from.

Joel

 

[creek astronaut]

great find!

 

[The Grim Reaper]

Killer Axe and a great story to go along with it.

Thanks for sharing that with us.

 

[ShowmeMoflint]

Very nice 1 thanks for the post larson1951 you r killing me with these post.Got me itching for a hunt dang I need a baby sitter LOL thanks for the view

 

[am-ark]

Very sweet axe, wish I could find one!

 

[Muddy Feet]

Thats a very cool find.

 

[blindpig]

Larson 1951 , I've been waiting to hear from somone with some experience here ,in regards of your axe . Believe me , when I say "I'm no expert" , but I do know "in general" that the Full-Groove Axe [4/4 ] is older and not as common as the Three-Quarter Groove [3/4] axes . Also that generally there not as "finished" as the 3/4-groove axe , but there are always exeptions to the rule ,.. like yours . Noting the size of the poll , the groove , and I think the bit has been worked down a bit , but a fine axe all the same !!
Anyway , I got out my Lar Hothem book on axes , Indian Axes &Related Stone Artifacts , he has some great books . Had a look for comparison's to your axe [ somone had to do it] . I didn't have any luck with a match , but found a few "facts" that I hope you like . On page 26 in regards to the "small-poll" , "this is not a common form anywhere ". And this statment p37 "this is a very well-made 4/4 ...etc.. probably fewer then 5% of 4/4 are as well-worked ", yours is just as fine , other then the possable bit damage /wear , but believe me we can see past that !! Anyway I was hoping I could tell you a thing or two about your axe , but the truth is it's a rarer type [I believe] and I think it's much older then the arrow-heads and bone tools you have been posting, it's possibly archaic [10,000 to 3,000 ] yr's of age , but this is only a guess ,.... from a pig none the less !!!


Anyway I tryed , ,... That is a fine axe there ,.. Blindpig

 

[larson1951]

Bindpig, Thankyou! I really appreciate the info
Does any one know the value of my 4/4 axe just curious
thanks, steve

 

[coteau]

Larson 1951 , I've been waiting to hear from somone with some experience here ,in regards of your axe . Believe me , when I say "I'm no expert" , but I do know "in general" that the Full-Groove Axe [4/4 ] is older and not as common as the Three-Quarter Groove [3/4] axes . Also that generally there not as "finished" as the 3/4-groove axe , but there are always exeptions to the rule ,.. like yours . Noting the size of the poll , the groove , and I think the bit has been worked down a bit , but a fine axe all the same !!
Anyway , I got out my Lar Hothem book on axes , Indian Axes &Related Stone Artifacts , he has some great books . Had a look for comparison's to your axe [ somone had to do it] . I didn't have any luck with a match , but found a few "facts" that I hope you like . On page 26 in regards to the "small-poll" , "this is not a common form anywhere ". And this statment p37 "this is a very well-made 4/4 ...etc.. probably fewer then 5% of 4/4 are as well-worked , yours is just as fine , other then the possable bit damage /wear , but believe me we can see past that !! Anyway I was hoping I could tell you a thing or two about your axe , but the truth is it's a rarer type [I believe] and I think it's much older then the arrow-heads and bone tools you have been posting, it's possibly archaic [10,000 to 3,000 ] yr's of age , but this is only a guess ,.... from a pig none the less !!!


Anyway I tryed , ,... That is a fine axe there ,.. Blindpig

I'm gonna have to disagree with your research on 4/4 axes. In the Northern Plains 4/4 axes are most always attributed to the Plains Village period. Many different types of axes were "invented" during the late woodland and Plains Village periods, most were full grooved and the older ones had raised ridges around the grooves.

Larson's axe could be Archaic, but I believe it's one of the many variants from the Plains Village period. Now that doesn't decrease value, it actually increases value! I could be wrong and I'm not saying I'm an expert, I'm just giving my opinion based on research...

I would like to hear more opinions on this axe! This is a very interesting axe!

 

[larson1951]

thanks runtee for the additional info
I really am curious as to the value
I do not want to sell it of course
I am just wondering how much something like this is worth
Thanks, steve

 

[Pinellas Man]

WOW! That is a nice axe. Thanks for sharing.

 

[blindpig]

Hay Runtee , thanks , I like your answer , I couldn't let this one just "float down" as just another "nice axe " . I thought this 4/4 was some what differant ? I did feel it was going agenst some logic calling it archaic as many 4/4's are , knowing larson has'nt shown any/many[?] other archaic tools . Anyway , I'd like to agree with you and disagree with myself . well , we did fish out a good answer here I believe . And I have learned that out in the "sea of grass" the plains , many different variant's of axes where "invented",... or maybe some good old idea's just never went away , and just got better ., thanks again Runtee, I needed to know !
Hay there Larson ,.. I'd go with Runtee answer here , he seems to know ! Joel