The lot features a 19th-century ball head war club with spike from the Eastern Plains with crescent cutout from an ex-Museum East Coast collection and the ex-John Baldwin collection. The club is carved from one-piece solid root burl of a tree showing a curved tapering handle with spherical ball framed with a “U” flaring back with pierced holes and an artful cutout crescent puzzle back. There are concentric lines running through the ball and inlaid at the front is a forged iron spike held into place with poured pewter lead and protrudes 3.5-inches in length. The ball head has old mineral pigment black paint covering it and the haft handle shows remnants of old mineral pigment green paint as well as an scratch incised engraving on the edge lines and intricate old brass trade tack design. The gripping area shows a tapered bottom with ridge cut design and pierced hole which would have held a drop, wrist throng or feathers, now long gone. For reference see the incredibly similar Eastern Plains Ball Club from the Marvin L Lince collection showing a club with cut-out crescent near the ball head and spike blade third-quarter 19th-century sold by Cowan’s in 2013 for $18,450 and the Eastern Plains Ball Head Club listed in the NAAC 2023 sale with an estimate of $20,000 which also showed a root ball club with long cutout and tapering pommel end. Eastern Plains Ball-Headed War Clubs with cutouts are exceedingly rare and desirable with this being a fine example. Provenance: From an ex-Museum East Coast collection where the item was proudly on display; ex-John Baldwin collection, former noted historian and author. The club is well preserved and shows a deep, chocolate patina with minor nicks, dings and scratches with some shiny patina, no major damages. Measures overall 23.5-inches in length.