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Blackfoot Pewter Inlaid Pipe Tomahawk c. 1880-1890

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles Start Price:25.00 USD Estimated At:2,500.00 - 6,000.00 USD
Blackfoot Pewter Inlaid Pipe Tomahawk c. 1880-1890
Advertising, Firearms, Antiques, Collectibles, Antique Furniture, Native American Artifacts, Navajo Jewelry, Silver, Gold, Montana History Artifacts, Navajo Indian Rugs, Taxidermy Mounts, Navajo Old Pawn Jewelry, Turquoise Jewelry, Old Western, Bits & Spurs, Chaps, Early American, Native American Indian Weapons, Native American Indian Beadwork from the Sioux, Crow, Blackfoot, Blackfeet, Iroquois, Chippewa, Comanche, Kiowa, Salish, Nez Perce, Seneca, Great Lakes, Eastern Woodlands, Northern Plain
The lot features an exquisite pewter inlaid cutout pipe tomahawk attributed to the Blackfoot Native American Indians and dating to circa 1880-1890. The piece features artfully crafted pewter engraved and inlaid accents into the walnut hardwood haft with an unusual and rare original cast pewter pipe tomahawk head. The cast pewter head is considered a “strap axe” style of head and shows an excellent large triangular cutout along the center. The piece was collected in Western Montana and is truly one of the finer presentation quality tomahawks with a pewter head offered for sale. Provenance: The piece is illustrated in the publication / book “The Mark Francis Collection of American Indian Art” page 91, figure 143. An identical head is illustrated in Harold L. Peterson’s 1965 Book, “American Indian Tomahawks” at figure 247, only lending to the authentic nature of the early piece. A copy of the Mark Francis page is included in the lots photographs. The piece was purchased and comes from the Historical Native American Artifacts and Weapons private museum collection in Paris, France. The tomahawk haft shows a rich patina with remnants of the wood’s bark that has been stripped and smoothed out over many years of use leaving a muted luster indicative of being handled. The smoking tip appears to be a cast or turned piece of pewter in the design similar to a small cartridge. The engravings have a wonderful design with the handle area showing two fully inlaid round areas framing the grip and two linear straps of pewter connecting them. In between the grip and head shows an inlaid strip of pewter encompassing the haft with each side having a religious Christian cross, most likely taught to the warrior who created this piece by a missionary. The head has been modernly reattached to the haft. Truly and excellent and authentic example of an early Indian Wars period presentation pipe tomahawk. Measures 17.5”L x 10.25”W. The head is 10.25”L with a 4 5/8”L blade end and 2”L smoking chamber having a ½”W opening.