An adze with an iron blade attached to wood handle made of wood with a hide thong. The blade is made from an axe head of European origin that has been cut away along along both sides to make it narrower, and a groove has been cut into the upper surface and adjacent edges to hold the thong that secures the head to the handle. The handle has been skillfully shaped to provide a secure grip and balance. The end of the handle where it is attached to the blade has been cut aslant, and has a drilled hole through which the hide thong repeatedly passes. The thong lies in the groove on the head, which protected from wear it while the adze was in use.

FROM CARD: "ADZE.-BLADE OF IRON LASHED TO A WOODEN HANDLE WITH A THONG EXTENDING OVER THE UPPER PORTION OF THE BLADE AND THROUGH A HOLE PIERCED IN THE HANDLE. LENGTH OF HANDLE, 11 INCHES; LENGTH OF BLADE, 5 3/4 INCHES. ESKIMO OF MACKENZIE RIVER, ALASKA, 1869. 5,126. COLLECTED BY R. MACFARLANE."