{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O97751"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O97751/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006BB9761/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006BB9761/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006BB9761","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2019LX2040","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O97751/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O97751","accessionNumber":"M.538-1956","objectType":"Horseman's hammer","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"The hammer was made in Germany in around 1550 for use in war. War hammers were designs to pound and tear at armour. Wear and tear on both points of the hammer head suggest it has seen use, although it is possible this damage was sustained by later collectors.\r\n\r\nThe hammer as a weapon of war was in continuous use in Europe from around 1300 until the seventeenth century. During the medieval period three basic types of warhammers were in use: 1) the throwing hammer, a derivative of the short throwing hatchet; 2) the short hammer, a single-handed weapon often used by mounted warriors from the 13th to the 16th century and sometimes called \"horseman's hammer\"; and 3) the long-handled footman's hammer (poleaxe) which was a longer version of the short hammer and was in use from the 14th to the 16th century. \r\n\r\nWar hammers are closely related to pole-axes used in foot combat at the lists. These usually had an additional spike on the top and may have an axe blade or a hammer head counter-balancing the beak shaped fluke on the opposite side.","physicalDescription":"Chiseled steel overlaid with silver and gold and infilled with niello. Slightly curved fluke of stiff diamond section, small faceted hammer both made in one with a central block from which a flat belt hook extends down the shaft. The head fits over a bolt on top of the shaft to which it is secrued by a faceted nut. The shaft tapers slightly and is of rectangular section terminating in a spirally fluted wooden grip, at each end of which is a brass collar and washer decorated with radiating grooves. All the iron parts are decorated with silver overlay picked out with small parts of gold on the head. The designs included foliage and strapwork with on the head figures of Adam and Eve. On one of the two wider faces of the shaft there is a battle scene of charging cavalry attacking from opposing towns and on the other a man leading dogs into a hunt of deer, boar and hare.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"steel","id":"AAT133751"},{"text":"niello","id":"x40185"},{"text":"gold","id":"AAT11021"},{"text":"silver","id":"AAT11029"},{"text":"wood","id":"AAT11914"}],"techniques":[{"text":"forging","id":"AAT54033"},{"text":"gilding","id":"AAT53789"},{"text":"inlay","id":"AAT53850"},{"text":"turning","id":"AAT53158"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Chiseled steel overlaid with silver and gold and nielloed","categories":[{"text":"Arms & Armour","id":"THES48992"},{"text":"Death","id":"THES48970"},{"text":"Metalwork","id":"THES48920"},{"text":"Myths & Legends","id":"THES49005"},{"text":"Religion","id":"THES48900"},{"text":"Sport","id":"THES48893"},{"text":"Tools & Equipment","id":"THES48883"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"MET","id":"THES48599"},"images":["2006BB9761","2019LX2040"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"62 (VA)","id":"THES49739"},"free":"","case":"CA19","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Horseman's Hammer","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Germany","id":"x28873"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"ca. 1550","earliest":"1545-01-01","latest":"1554-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"50.6","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"15.3","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"4","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"handle","note":""},{"dimension":"Weight","value":"0.9","unit":"kg","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"Measured for the Medieval and Renaissance Galleries","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"The hammer was made in Germany in around 1550 for use in war. War hammers were designed to pound and tear at armour. Wear and tear on both points of the hammer head suggest it has seen use.\r\n\r\nThe hammer was purchased by the Museum in 1956 from Mr. M. Drinkwater (R.F. 56/3722) for £80 using funds from the Farquharson Bequest of 1927. Its provenance before Drinkwater's ownership is unknown.\n\nHistorical significance: This is a finely decorated example of a war hammer. It is unusual for such a weapon to be inlaid with silver and gold and it is possible that it was used primarily as a signalling baton for the leader of an army. Although the wear and tear on the hammer head and point of the fluke suggest it has been used in anger, it is possible this damage was sustained by later collectors.","historicalContext":"The hammer as a weapon of war was in continuous use in Europe from around 1300 until the seventeenth century. This type of short handled hammer was for use on horseback.\r\n\r\nDuring the medieval period three basic types of warhammers were in use: 1) the throwing hammer, a derivative of the short throwing hatchet; 2) the short hammer, a single-handed weapon often used by mounted warriors from the 13th to the 16th century and sometimes called \"horseman's hammer\"; and 3) the long-handled footman's hammer (poleaxe) which was a longer version of the short hammer and was in use from the 14th to the 16th century. \r\n\r\nWar hammers are closely related to polaxes used in foot combat at the lists. These usually had an additional spike on the top and may have an axe blade or a hammer head counter-balancing the beak shaped fluke on the opposite side.","briefDescription":"Chiseled steel horseman's hammer overlaid with silver and gold and nielloed, Germany, about 1550","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Blair, Claude, <u>European and America Arms c.1100-1850</u>, B.T. Batsford Ltd., London, 1962, pp. 26-27"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Stone, George Cameron, <u>A Glossary of the Construction, Decoration and Use of Arms and Armor in All Countries and in All Times</u>, Jack Brussel, New York, 1934, pp. 278-279"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Patterson, Angus, <u>Fashion and Armour in Renaissance Europe: Proud Lookes and Brave Attire</u>, V&A Publishing, London, 2009, ISBN  9781851775811, p. 15 ill."}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[{"text":"Adam and Eve","id":"N4430"}],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[{"text":"war","id":"x35624"},{"text":"death","id":"x30761"},{"text":"hunting","id":"x40186"}],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"Arms and Armour Gallery:\r\n\r\nHORSEMAN'S HAMMER\r\nChiselled steel overlaid with silver and gold, the ground of the design filled with niello\r\nGERMAN; about 1550\r\nM.538-1956","date":{"text":"to 2002","earliest":"2002-01-01","latest":"2002-12-31"}}],"partNumbers":["M.538-1956"],"accessionNumberNum":"538","accessionNumberPrefix":"M","accessionYear":1956,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":["2019LR6756","2019LT7180","2019LU1022","2021MY4513"],"recordModificationDate":"2025-05-01","recordCreationDate":"2004-04-05","availableToBook":false}}