North American Auction Company
Live Auction

Threads of the West: Native Beadwork, Navajo Textiles, Navajo Jewelry & Western Art

Sat, Jan 24, 2026 11:00AM EST
  2026-01-24 11:00:00 2026-01-24 11:00:00 America/New_York North American Auction Company North American Auction Company : Threads of the West: Native Beadwork, Navajo Textiles, Navajo Jewelry & Western Art https://live.naabid.com/auctions/north-american-auction/threads-of-the-west-native-beadwork-navajo-textiles-navajo-jewelry-western-art-22140
Join North American Auction Company on January 24th for Threads of the West: Native Beadwork, Navajo Textiles, Navajo Jewelry & Western Art Auction. This is a wonderful collection of Western History, Native American Beadwork and Weapons along with fine Navajo Jewelry, Americana and more. Visit Live.Naabid.com for more details or call 800-686-4216.
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Lot 133

19th-Century Eastern Plains Ball Head War Club

Estimate: $10,000 - $15,000
Starting Bid
$500

Bid Increments

Price Bid Increment
$0 $5
$50 $10
$100 $25
$500 $50
$1,000 $100
$2,000 $250
$5,000 $500
$10,000 $1,000
$25,000 $2,500
$100,000 $5,000

The lot features a 19th-century ball head war club from the Eastern Plains with old brass tacking, red ocher painted head, and an incised effigy design from the ex-White Eyes Township Historical Society. The club shows a classic Eastern Plains pattern of ball head war club with large ball or root ball round carved head with a wide curved sail like paddle starting the club curving into the long handle having a raised carved median ridge running down the center of the club starting at the ball head and running down to the end. The end shows a flaring artistic design with ridge cut bottom and pierced hole for a drop. There are five spots on the club with pierced holes which would have hold drops of feathers. The entire club shows an incised carved line which frames and borders the entire handle on both sides. The club shows old solid brass square shank trade tacks on both sides in circle “O” and “X” patterns. The large ball head shows remnants of red ocher / ochre mineral pigment paint with much of it being worn away. The right side of the club shows many incised carved / etched pictorial figural designs including a human figure holding a spear and war club, snake, rising sun, mountains, “XXXX”, three diagonal hashes shown in several places and a hanging circle with dot center as well as a turtle effigy at the end. The carvings show some crudeness. Provenance: White Eyes Township Historical Society. Then the historical society was disbanded and the building and property were sold to the Amish, a noted Indiana Native weapons collector acquired the club. The club has a highly artful form similar to other important example such as the Eastern Plains Ball Club from Marvin L. Lince sold by Cowan’s in 2013 for $18,450, Eastern Plains Ball Club with tacking and painted effigy figures sold by Clars in 2020 for $5,440, The Eastern Plains Tacked Ball Club sold by Brain Lebel in 2013 for $9,075, and the Eastern Plains ball-headed club from James “Jimmy” Hart sold by Bonhams in 2024 for $12,160 (all w/ bp). The club shows wear with nicks and scratches, some paint loss and the carvings, but overall has a nice well kept condition. Measures overall 27.25-inches long. The head is appox. 3.75-inches by 3.25-inches by 3-inches.

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