Monumental, pseudo-ritual bronze axe, resembling ancient objects, circa 1900
1820 gr axe for imaginary, representative or ritual purposes. Conceived within the context of historicism as an antiquising fantasy object. Exceptionally heavy and thick bronze blade with an upward-drawn, curved cutting edge terminating in a rearward-retracting, downward-facing volute. Bevel of approx. 2.5 cm wide on the axe, which is approx. 2.3 cm thick immediately before the cutting edge. Externally rectangular, profiled shaft tube, below which an annular collar. Attached to this with modern wire is an antique, cone-shaped sheet metal object, apparently intended to suggest use as the lower terminal of the axe haft. On the upper side, the round opening of the shaft tube is covered by an original antique element: a round, turned and profiled knop soldered in place. Between shaft tube and blade on both sides four bold bosses. Antiquising object from the collection of L. Marzoli. Height 18.5 cm. wide 17.5 cm.
Provenance: Axel Guttmann Collection; this piece was acquired from the L. Marzoli Collection in the late 1980s.
349223
Condition: I -
1820 gr axe for imaginary, representative or ritual purposes. Conceived within the context of historicism as an antiquising fantasy object. Exceptionally heavy and thick bronze blade with an upward-drawn, curved cutting edge terminating in a rearward-retracting, downward-facing volute. Bevel of approx. 2.5 cm wide on the axe, which is approx. 2.3 cm thick immediately before the cutting edge. Externally rectangular, profiled shaft tube, below which an annular collar. Attached to this with modern wire is an antique, cone-shaped sheet metal object, apparently intended to suggest use as the lower terminal of the axe haft. On the upper side, the round opening of the shaft tube is covered by an original antique element: a round, turned and profiled knop soldered in place. Between shaft tube and blade on both sides four bold bosses. Antiquising object from the collection of L. Marzoli. Height 18.5 cm. wide 17.5 cm.
Provenance: Axel Guttmann Collection; this piece was acquired from the L. Marzoli Collection in the late 1980s.
349223
Condition: I -
