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Pawnee Pipe Tomahawk w/ Beadwork & Teeth 19th C.

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles Start Price:25.00 USD Estimated At:6,000.00 - 8,000.00 USD
Pawnee Pipe Tomahawk w/ Beadwork & Teeth 19th C.
The lot features a 19th Century Plains Native American Indian pipe tomahawk attributed to the Pawnee Indians of Kansas. This shows a hand-forged iron head using an old gun barrel; the rifling being still visible in the bowl. There are also two upward curled basal processes, which are very unusual and rare to be featured on this style of Plains Tomahawk head. Another example of this head was documented and can be seen in John Baldwin’s 1995 book, “Tomahawks & Pipe Axes of the American Frontier” on page 2 from the Jim Dresslar collection. The forged head is secured to the solid wood haft handle which is adorned with brass trade tacks and two old beaded strips showing a geometric beadwork pattern in Cheyenne pink, cobalt and light sky blue. At the gripping area shows a pierced hole which holds a dangle drop of old trade clothe strips, a single brass hawk trade bell, hand-rolled tin jingle cones with dyed tail horsehair along with three human teeth. The Pawnee Warriors were known to be brutal killers who often mutilated their victim’s bodies and were known to make necklaces and drops out of human teeth and other parts. For more details see Baldwin page 66 “Early Knives and Beaded Sheaths of the American Frontier” (1998). Provenance: From the ex-collection of Cyrus Eaton estate. Overall measures 21 inches in length with a 7 ¼ inch long head that has a 2 ½ inch long blade.