Hello,

I am emailing for help in identifying a touch mark on an ax that was
purportedly found in the vicinity of Pickawillany in western Ohio. It is
a typical trade/belt ax common to the era with a tear drop eye, straight
front edge, expanding bit and slightly curved back edge. Pickawillany
was an English trading post / Miami Indian town that was active between
1748 and 1752 when it was destroyed by the French. The man who is trying
to present the piece to museum seems to think the mark was that of
Thomas Burney, the blacksmith that hid out during the attack and made it
back east. It is composed of an upper case "L" and a lower case "r" with
a couple of stars inset and perhaps some leaves above the "r" all in a
deeply set tapered rectangular cartouche applied on the side of the
blade just below the haft.  I can email a sketch of the touch mark to
anyone who is interested.

It looks nothing like anything I have ever seen that was attributed to
Thos. Burney. I am hoping someone could shed some light on it or at
least point me in the right direction. 

Thanks!

Linda 

Linda Pansing 
Assistant Curator of Archaeology
Collections, Historic Preservation & Statewide Outreach
The Ohio Historical Society 
1982 Velma Ave. 
Columbus, OH 43211 
(614) 298-2061 
[log in to unmask] 
www.ohiohistory.org <http://www.ohiohistory.org/archaeology>
/archaeology 
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