Werk (or Werkgen) Fulpmes is the shortened form of "Werkgenossenschaft der Stubaier Kleineisenindustries – Fulpmes" (Cooperative of Stubai Small Iron Industries - Fulpmes), a co-op of 27 small ironworks in the Fulpmes area of the Stubai Valley, Austria that banded together in 1897. They produced tools and other metal products, including mountaineering equipment.
In 1955, Werkgen Fulpmes started marketing various products with the "Stubai" name. In the next few years they gradually used the "Stubai" name for more products. The "Stubai"–inside–a–diamond logo appeared in 1958. Werkgen Fulpmes officialy adopted the "Stubai" company name in 1960, and subsequently marketed all their items under the Stubai brand name. They used the diamond logo until the 1970s, when they changed the logo to a 3–peak mountain with "STUBAI" within the mountain.
History
Ramón Montaner used a shortened 1920s Werk Fulpmes ice axe to murder Leon Trostsky in 1940. That most famous of all ice axes is now in the International Spy Museum in Washington DC.
Ice Axes
Werkgenossenschaft Fulpmes
These early Werk Fulpmes ice axes have a
Werkgenossenschaft Fulpmes logo
stamped on the top of the adze.
↑ 152: Werkgenossenschaft Fulpmes
- Made in Austria. [ca. 1900].
- 980x235 mm.
- Weight: 970 g.
- Wood Shaft.
- Shaft: 30x24 mm.
- Fixed Head.
- Straight adze with a curved edge and no arch.
- Adze: 60(l)x44(w)x0(arch) mm.
- Straight alpine pick with a pointed tip and with 7 ventral teeth.
- Pick: 115(l)x21(h)x9(t) mm.
- Square spike.
- Spike: 77(l)x12(w)x12(t) mm.
- Glide ring and stop are missing. Stop was mounted on sace of shaft rather than the edge.
- This is a long ice axe whose length is consistent with the general practice of the first half of the 1900s. The adze is small, thick, and flat.
↑ 412: Werkgenossenschaft Fulpmes
- Made in Austria. [ca. 1920].
- 905x270 mm.
- Weight: 1095 g.
- Wood Shaft.
- Shaft: 32x29 mm. (Grip: 31x28 mm.)
- Fixed Head.
- Straight adze with a curved edge and no arch.
- Adze: 70(l)x62(w)x0(arch) mm.
- Straight alpine pick with a pointed tip and with 7 ventral teeth.
- Pick: 135(l)x24(h)x9(t) mm.
- Square spike.
- Spike: 41(l)x13(w)x13(t) mm.
- Heavy, nearly circular shaft with slight taper.
- A previous owner name "A Huber" is engraved on one side of the pick.
The names "BORTIS" and "DIONYS" are stamped on the other side of the pick. - The owner's name "A.Huber" also appears on my A. Hupfauf axe #247. That axe was made in 1921. I have not been able to find any information about A. Huber.
↑ 206: Werkgen Fulpmes
- Made in Austria. [1930s].
- 780x285 mm.
- Weight: 1065 g.
- Wood Shaft.
- Shaft: 35x24 mm. (Grip: 32x23 mm.)
- Fixed Head.
- Curved adze with a straight edge and no arch.
- Adze: 85(l)x62(w)x0(arch) mm.
- Straight alpine pick with a pointed tip and with 6 ventral teeth.
- Pick: 150(l)x21(h)x9(t) mm.
- Square spike.
- Spike: 47(l)x13(w)x13(t) mm.
- Glide ring with canvas strap.
- The inscription is struck with EXTRA GARANTIE in French.
- Werkgen Fulpmes logo matches those used in the 1930s.
Franz Senn
The Fran Senn axe is a copy of Ralling's Akademiker Pickel. It was named after Franz Xaverius Senn (1831–1884), an Austrian priest and mountaineer. Senn was among the first to promote alpinism and foster the early development of mountaineering in Tyrol. He was a founding member of the Austrian and German alpine associations.
↑ 359: Werkgen Fulpmes Franz Senn
- Made in Austria. [1930s].
- 830x290 mm.
- Weight: 1100 g.
- Wood Shaft.
- Shaft: 35x26 mm. (Grip: 32x25 mm.)
- Fixed Head.
- Straight adze with a straight edge and no arch.
- Adze: 80(l)x61(w)x0(arch) mm.
- Straight alpine pick with a pointed tip and with 6 ventral teeth.
- Pick: 145(l)x21(h)x8(t) mm.
- Square spike.
- Spike: 52(l)x11(w)x11(t) mm.
- The tapered shaft that provides strength where it's needed most and gives the axe a solid swing when cutting steps.
- The Fran Senn axe is a copy of Ralling's Akademiker Pickel.
