Objects Database

Grivel ice axe

Accession Number

017.2007.1

Object Name

Grivel ice axe

Created

21/11/2007

Creator

Maxine Willett

Accession Date

21/11/2007

Brief Description

'Grivel' ice axe, steel head, wooden shaft, one notch on pick, adze. Pointed spike on ferrule. Movable ring with grey webbed wrist leash.

Materials

Steel, wood

Dimensions

49(L) x 30.5(length of head) cms

Number Of Objects

1

Inscription Description

Arrow shaped symbol stamped on one side and "GRIVEL, COURMAYEUR" On reverse "MADE IN ITALY"

Colour

Silver, brown, grey

Maker

Grivel

Object Production Place

Italy

Provenance

The Grivel family were blacksmiths based in the little town of Courmayeur on the Italian side of Mont Blanc. It seems they were making agricultural implements initially but saw a market for ice axes during the ‘Golden Era’ of Alpine mountaineering in the 1860’s.
One of the family, Henry, teamed up with Oscar Eckenstein in 1908 to produce the first proper crampons for mountaineering - we have a couple of fine pairs in the collection.
The axe we have here dates from the 1950’s and there’s an excellent video on the Grivel website showing similar ones being made.
Unfortunately we are not sure where this particular one came from though it is a fine addition to our wee Grivel family.

Acquisition Date

21/11/2007

Condition

Fair, rusty metalwork

Condition Check Date

21/11/2007

Rules

Spectrum : UK Museum documentation standard, V.3.1 2007

Modified

28/04/2009

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