Don't I buy the best birthday presents? This one was for Rebecca's birthday.
It is a blunt skegox decorated in the Urnes style. The pattern is similar to work found from the late 10th to 11th Century. A custom job by Ulfric the weaponsmith.
It is very light and handles beautifully for an axe.
A good question. As far as I can tell the weaponsmith has roughened and acid treated the darkened patches of the axehead, and shined up the pattern to make it stand out more.
love the detail work on the blade