Vintage Swiss Ice Axe By Andermatten

Vintage Swiss Ice Axe By Andermatten

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Vintage Ice Pick, Marke Mischabel.
A good Geb Andenmatten (Andenmatten Brothers) Mischabel ice axe, the handle is made from ash with a smooth steel pick and with a wide adze. This is a fine quality Switzerland ice pick in excellent condition, the head being stamped 'Gebr. Andenmatten, Schweiz, Saas-Almagel' on one side and 'MARKE MISCHABEL' with an outline of a mountain range on the other. This is a fine quality ice pick with leather end protectors, a canvas securing leash and a pointed square spike and a metal ferrule.

The old Swiss family was one of the first to offer guided treks in the alpine regions with Geb Andenmatten ( Andenmatten Brothers) having a large blacksmith business. It was here, around 1918, that the brothers began making ice axes which were sold to the local mountain guides, visiting tourists and the Swiss Army. The inscriptions at the beginning were all in capital letters with GEB.ANDENMATTEN on the top, SCHWEIZ (Switzerland) on the middle, and SAAS-ALMAGEL on the bottom. GEB. stands for Gebrüder and means brother. In the 1930's the inscription changed and the letters were written using lowercase letters and the upper GEB. was then spelt Gebr. Their 'Mischabel' Ice axes were named after the mountain range above Saas Almagel. Saas Almagel is a little Alpine village in the Valais area of Switzerland, just a mountain pass away from its rather more illustrious neighbour, Zermatt.

Ice axes are multipurpose tools used by mountaineers in both the ascent and descent.

Dimensions:

Height 80 cm / 31 "
Width 30 cm / 12"
Depth 8 cm / 3 14"
Period

1900-1949

Year

Circa 1930's

Medium

Ash and steel

Country

Switzerland

Signed

Marke Mischabel

Condition

Good clean condition. Leather strap worn stitching coming undone. Handle scratched with initials AHB.

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