War Hammer. Hungary, 16th–17th Centuries

War hammers,or battle hammers, are rare on the market, and their price is always relatively high. This one is probably Hungarian; it can be dated to the late 16th century or early 17th century. These weapons, often little known to the general public,were widely used in combat in the Poland-Hungary region, as well as throughout the rest of the Germanic sphere of influence. During a melee between two cavalry units, they proved much more practical than swords, allowing for a very rapid follow-up strike when the enemy had been missed by an initial blow.
Hammer head : on one side, it features an inverted 8-sided pyramid with a flat top—which is the hammer proper, highl yeffective against the smooth surfaces of armor, and on the other side a strong point with four large faces and foursmaller faces, known as the “corbin’s beak,” which could be used to slip into the joints of the armor.
Thevery large size of this hammer head is typical of the style found in Hungary or southernPoland, where as Germanic hammers are generally morecompact in shape. The central part of the hammer head is decorated with chiseled cord patterns and subtle copper inlays.
The head is topped by a large,flattened knob. Between the head and the shaft, and between the head and the flattened knob,there are flower-shaped iron washers. Head width = 29 cm
Hammershank: It is made of iron, with a cylindrical cross-section,decorated with chiseled twists
Grip: It is cylindrical and twisted, coveredwith leather.A rectangular iron guardwith a fluted edge protects the hand. The handle ends at the opposite end with another similar iron washer, andt he weapon ends with a large, flattened rivet on a flower-shaped washer.

The entire weapon has a very dark patina that could easily be lightened by hand polishing, if desired. 
This beautiful historical object evokes the cavalry charges of the 16th century, when two groups of horsemen were locked in close combat and, amid the general chaos, swords were difficult to wield.
Shipping Costs: France= €30, Western Europe = €40,
Ref. Y-26XX