14th C. Italian Medieval Iron War Hammer

Southern Europe, Italy, Medieval Period, ca. 14th to 15th century CE. A beautiful war hammer forged from iron with a slender body, a tapered handle meant to accommodate a leather wrap, and a diamond-shaped pommel. The double-sided head portion features a squat, dense hammer head with a flat face and a narrow neck on one side as well as an elongated spike on the other with a slight downward curve. The center of the head was once open to allow the handle top to be socketed inside, and a narrow lateral flange illustrates how the head was stabilized when being swung. Hand-held war hammers like this example were imposing weapons in the right hands that were capable of sundering plate armor, destroying weaker weapons, and obliterating human bone alike. Size: 6.125" L x 20.4" H (15.6 cm x 51.8 cm)

Provenance: ex-estate of Eldert Bontekoe, Pegasi Numismatics, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA, acquired before 2000

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#159239
Condition Report: Hammer head and handle covered in dark stabilization material. Original handle wraps missing as shown. Minor nicks to handle, pommel, body, and hammer head, with light encrustations, otherwise intact and excellent. Great patina throughout.