Objects Database

Hummingbird (Lowe) Ice Hammers

Accession Number

558.2008.1

Object Name

Hummingbird (Lowe) Ice Hammers

Created

01/12/2008

Creator

Hermione Cooper

Accession Date

01/12/2008

Brief Description

'Humming bird' prototype ice climbing tool. Fibreglass shaft with rubber grip. Hole in head with wire loop attached. Yellow leash tied through this. Channel shaped pick. Round hammer head. Scraps of blue paint on head and blue paint round top of shaft.

Materials

metal, fibreglass, rubber, nylon

Dimensions

Shafts 33(l) 37(l) x 6(cir)cms. Head 19.5(l) cms. Hammer head 3(diameter)cms.

Number Of Objects

1

Inscription Description

"7" painted on top of shaft of one
"LOWE CAMP INTERALP SALEWA""MADE IN ITALY PREYANA" "HUMMINGBIRD" on other

Colour

blue, black, cream,silver

Maker

Camp

Object Production Place

Italy

Provenance

We’ve put these two tools together as they are both of the same ilk. The one with the glass fibre shaft is an early production (circa 1974) version of a Lowe Alpine Systems Hummingbird Ice Hammer, so called because the tubular pick resembles the beak of a hummingbird. The other is a later version, we suspect 1985 or thereabouts.
Like many gear creators, Lowe outsourced production of their tools to Camp, an Italian company, which branched out worldwide, making their own gear as well as producing stuff for other folk.
The Hummingbird, hollow pick, idea was popular with waterfall ice climbers since it tended to fracture the ice less. Scottish climbers were not so keen, preferring to smash the ice around a bit to get placements!

Acquisition Date

01/12/2008

Condition Check Date

28/04/2009

Rules

Spectrum : UK Museum documentation standard, V.3.1 2007

Modified

28/04/2009

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