The Scottish Mountain Heritage Collection
1470.2018.1
Francois Simond Ice Axe
15/11/2018
Hermione Cooper
15/11/2018
Long wooden shafted Francois Simond Ice Axe with serrated pick and sliding wrist loop.
wood, metal
94(L) x 24.5 (length of head) cms
1
"FRANCOIS SIMOND 808 CHAMONIX MONT-BLANC"
brown
Francois Simond
Chamonix, France
Francois Simond started making ice axes in the Chamonix valley, below Mont Blanc, around 1860, and 100 years later the Simond brand is still going strong.
There were very few British ice axe manufacturers in the early days so continental imports were what most folk used; the Austrian Stubai being the most popular. Simond were not far behind in popularity and got a boost in 1953 when Sir Edmund Hilary took his Simond axe to the top of Mt. Everest.
Dating from the 1930’s, this particular ice axe originally belonged to Frank Barker who was pals with another Frank called Smythe ..... seems they both had a passion for Alpine flowers.
Barker’s widow, Ethel, passed on the axe to Michael Bracewell in 1964 and he toted it around the Scottish mountains for a decade or two before passing it on to us - thanks to all concerned.
Donated by Michael Bracewell
15/11/2018
15/11/2018
Spectrum : UK Museum documentation standard, V.3.1 2007
15/11/2018