Lot 26

19th Century Cheyenne Triple Cut Out Pipe Tomahawk

Estimate: $7,000 - $9,000

Bid Increments

Price Bid Increment
$0 $5
$50 $10
$100 $25
$500 $50
$1,000 $100
$2,500 $250
$5,000 $500
$7,000 $1,000
This is a unique pipe tomahawk attributed to the Cheyenne Indians of Wyoming showing a triple cut out, originally from the Ted and Lilly Jarvis collection from Jackson Hole and Jim Bastian estate in Kansas City, Missouri. The piece exhibits a large, heavy example with rare and unique artful triple cut out at the center of the blade. The tomahawk is blacksmith forged iron and shows three bleeder holes pierced into it, forged chevrons, forged moldings and an artful, vase-shaped pipe bowl with filed rings. The hardwood haft handle has old brass trade tacking of various sizes, and a later drop of horse tail hair and hawk bell dangle tie onto the bottom. There are faint, old hot file brandings on the haft and some marks. This is considered a stylized version of the “batwing” cut out. A similar example is pictured in the hands of a Cheyenne Indian shown on page 80 of John Baldwin’s 2001 book “Indian War Clubs of the American Frontier”. The tomahawk has a nice mellow patina and attractive pattern. Provenance: From the ex-collections of Ted and Lilly Jarvis Jackson Hole, Wyoming and Jim Bastian Kansas City, Missouri. The tomahawk head measures 11 ½ inches long by 4 ¼ inches wide across the bottom of the blade. Overall the entire tomahawk measures 26 inches long with the drop being an additional 18 inches in length.