Objects Database

Stubai ice axe

Accession Number

016.2007.1

Object Name

Stubai ice axe

Created

21/11/2007

Creator

Maxine Willett

Accession Date

21/11/2007

Brief Description

'Stubai' ice axe, steel head, wooden shaft, adze, serrated pick. Pointed spike on ferrule.

Materials

Steel, wood

Dimensions

31.6 (w) x 86 (l) x 7.5 (d) cm

Number Of Objects

Inscription Description

Stamped on serrated blade, Stubai logo and "MADE IN AUSTRIA, ORIGINAL ASCHENBRENNER GES.GESCH" Marked on shaft "LAIRIG CLUB"

Colour

Grey, brown

Maker

Stubai

Object Production Place

Austria

Provenance

Lairig Club
Peter Aschenbrenner was an Austrian Mountain Guide (1902-1998) who was somewhat controversially involved in early expeditions to climb Nanga Parbat in the Himalaya. The German led - and Hitler backed - expedition of 1934 ended in disaster when several Sherpas perished, the result being that Aschenbrenner and fellow expedition member Schneider were hauled before a 'court of honour' for 'abandonment' of Sherpas and were excluded from further expeditions to Nanga Parbat. This was later rescinded and he was back in 1953 taking over the role of expedition leader from Karl Harrligkoffer. On this occasion, Herman Buhl made the summit alone, to claim the first ascent and though the expedition had technically been a success there was much acrimony.
Aschenbrenner left behind a much less controversial legacy in the form of an ice axe which he developed in the early 1930's and got the Stubai company to manufacture for him. These axes became almost universal in the mountains from the mid 1930's right up to the 1960's when metal and alloy shafted tools began to take over. There were many variations and it seems that some were custom made. Batches were made for German mountain troops during WWII and thousands were exported to the UK, mostly just after WWII, many of which have found their way into our collection