Maker Unknown ~Possibly Libbey~ Marigold Hatchet ~Novelty~Toy~Souvenir~

This was purchased December 22, 2013 from a Seeck On-line Auction featuring the last few items of the Bob & Geneva Leonard Collection. It may have been the tail end but it was good to the last drop!

The Leonards had managed to collect a purple and a vaseline tomahawk as well as this hatchet. It was a hard fight, especially bidding on-line with the soft close feature. That's where the person who gets outbid has another chance to bid again within the next five minutes. I am very happy I bought all three. These are a "must buy" when you see them. The old ones are so rare in all colors.

A hatchet is a short handled axe meant to be used by one hand. This hatchet in particular is called a half hatchet which has a broad blade on one end and a hammer head on the other.

This souvenir can be considered a toy, although by today's standards, the Consumer Products Safety Commmission would have a field day with this one! In my fireworks store I have an amberina glass tomahawk in one of my fireworks museum showcases that was given to me by my friend, Gary Heavin. Children's faces light up when they look in and see it. They ask, "Is that for sale, Lady?". I hate to disappoint them with their big wanting eyes and wishful little faces. I let them hold it but that's as far as they get with me. Maybe this is why these hatchets were made with a hole at the end of the handle. Mama could thread a piece of rawhide or ribbon through it so it could be hung on the wall.....far above the reach of little ones just dying to use it for a rough and tumble game of Cowboys & Indians. There is no wonder left in my mind why these are so scarce!

The total overall length is 6" and it measures 3" from blade to hammer head. It was made from a two piece mould with the mould line running all the way around except for the very top where the handle would go through the ax head. Here it  has been polished down smooth.

When tilted just right to the light, the iridescence is very bright, gleaming with glints of magenta, blues, greens and gold. Pretty? And HOW!

Similar crystal clear and milk glass non-iridized 8" versions of this axe were made for the 1893 Chicago World's Fair/World's Columbian Exposition. These were made to commemorate President George Washington and his hatchet, who, by the way, received it from his Papa when he was only six years old. Little George used it in debarking, thus accidentally killing, his father's favorite English Cherry tree. When his father called him on the carpet, little George told him he could not tell a lie. He admitted his part in it and so became the apple of his proud father's eye for being truthful. The words "THE FATHER OF THIS COUNTRY" are curved around his head on one side of the blade and the words "WORLD'S FAIR 1893" are found on the other side. Also, the words "Libbey Glass Co. Toledo Ohio" can be seen along the bottom of the handle. These hatchets were apparently made to advertise Libbey Glass, who opened for business in 1888. At only five years young, what better place to grow their business by sponsoring a demonstration plant at this massive and well attended exposition. At the Libbey Glass Pavillion, fairgoers could take the tour and see live demonstrations of how different types of glass items were made. Yes'm! These hatchets were actually made right there and visitors could buy them as souvenirs at the end of the tour. I've included a postcard image of their building and also a piece of advertisement they put out for the event. Click twice on the pictures for a great view.

I would love to say Libbey made this iridized hatchet but because the crystal one and others like it don't have a hole in the handle and there is over a 2" difference in length, I cannot give them credit for making this one. It was not uncommon for glass manufacturers to copycat each other's ideas, especially if those items sold well. Back then it was a free for all. So, for now, I will keep the listing as "Maker Unknown, Possibly Libbey".

There were also other plain, crystal clear ones produced that were ruby flashed, then etched and/or gilded with lettering and were often dated, which I love to see. They're very fancy and so Victorian. There were even those made of milk glass that were hand painted with flowery decorations.

I'm including a picture of this marigold hatchet next to the Vaseline Tomahawk for size comparison. The last picture is the auction catalogue photo courtesy Seeck Auctions.

The Christina Katsikas Collection

This item now belongs to a gentleman by the name of Jerry Smith whom I have not had the pleasure of meeting but has called me on a warm August afternoon (2017) to say how much he enjoys Showcase and to let me know he bought this "yellow tomahawk". He says his grandson very much admires it. He's been trying to figure out who the maker is since he purchased it but no luck yet! Jerry is from Sellers/Perkinston Mississippi in Hancock County. He is a HOACGA member and I am very happy to have met him. Thank you Jerry for calling me and please let us know if you find out who made your hatchet.

The Jerry Smith Collection