IRISH POLICE BILLY CLUB NIGHTSTICK ,CA 1900

[Kmaddock]

Hi
It is made from Bog Oak, this is Oak which fell into a bog around 10,000 years ago and buried in a few meters of bog
The oak turns into this extremely heavy dense black wood.
Yew and pines also are found and they go a more red golden colour.
This wood is v v tough and difficult to work with as it is impregnated with silt and sand.

These batons come up fairly regularly at auctions here in Ireland identified as many different things.

Generally quiet short for a batton and the use i believe they are for is a batton killing fish sometimes called a "Priest".

Google" bog oak sculpture" and you will see lots of carvings and a more detailed explanation of the formation of bog oak.

I did sculpture years ago and this material blunted chisels in minutes.

Regards and nice item by the way

Ken

[thinreadline]

very nice . I do agree with Ken , these are normally classed as 'priests' for dispatching salmon .

[BANDOOK]

Originally Posted by thinreadline

very nice . I do agree with Ken , these are normally classed as 'priests' for dispatching salmon .

Thanks Thinreadline

[Lee]

I must have missed this informative and helpful thread when it was fresh and I discovered it only when doing a Google search after acquiring an example at a New York State rural auction a few days ago. I had presumed it must have been for the tourist, owing to the depiction of Blarney Castle but I liked the theme including the stone tower and the high relief carved shamrocks.

The material was a mystery to me until I read Ken's comments - thank you! This example is 15 1/8 inches in length and weighs 17.7 ounces.

Somehow I suspect that a 'priest' is nominally to a fish dispatching tool exactly as a 'shillelagh' is to a walking stick.

[BANDOOK]

Originally Posted by Kmaddock

Hi
It is made from Bog Oak, this is Oak which fell into a bog around 10,000 years ago and buried in a few meters of bog
The oak turns into this extremely heavy dense black wood.
Yew and pines also are found and they go a more red golden colour.
This wood is v v tough and difficult to work with as it is impregnated with silt and sand.

These batons come up fairly regularly at auctions here in Ireland identified as many different things.

Generally quiet short for a batton and the use i believe they are for is a batton killing fish sometimes called a "Priest".

Google" bog oak sculpture" and you will see lots of carvings and a more detailed explanation of the formation of bog oak.

I did sculpture years ago and this material blunted chisels in minutes.

Regards and nice item by the way

Ken

Thanks Ken,great information appreciate that,Regards Rajesh