FRENCH TRADE HATCHET UPPER MISSISSIPPI DUBUQUE DUG #3

Description

Here is #3 of 4 ax heads I recently came across all from the Dubuque Iowa mining area from some years ago that are obviously dug, but in very good condition despite having been buried.  All items have a makers stamp but I do not know which maker they may represent, but this one was made in Europe in either France or Germany.  You can check out a similarly made Buffalo Spearhead that was found in the old Fort Crawford out buildings in the 1930's by a Wisconsin University Professor.
This particular axe head is two pieces forged together to create the axe head shown.  It is kind of a bearded splitter and may even predate ax head #1.  The style was copied around the turn of the 19th/20th but in forged steel.   It is maker marked as shown but very corroded and difficult to make out but I put it on high magnification and maybe someone will recognize the mark, still, the head is of a very early style.  Note the seam in the iron in the reverse side from the maker mark in both picture #5 and #9 where the two plates are in essence welded together.  It is about 8" long and the eye flanging out to over 2".   Very neat and rare piece.  Presumably used in the lead mining trade in the Dubuque Iowa mines worked primarily by native indians under contract with Julian Dubuque in what is known as "The Mines of Spain."