North American Auction Company
Live Auction

Early October American Indian & Western Sale

Sat, Oct 3, 2020 11:00AM EDT
Lot 31

Blackfoot Cast Pewter Pipe Tomahawk w/ Drop 19th C

Estimate: $4,500 - $7,000

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 fine Western pipe tomahawk with solid pewter head, intricately file burned and polychrome painted handle and beaded drop from the Northern Plains Native American Indians of the 19th Century. The piece is likely from the Blackfoot (Blackfeet) people and is similar in its solid pewter make as the Blackfoot Pipe Tomahawk example sold by our company in our March 2018 sale. This example shows a cast solid pewter tomahawk axe head with file curved ridge bottom edge, file cut lines at the eyelet hole along with crisscrossing engraving, prominent engraved chevron and unique eleven sided beveled and rope etched wide pipe bowl. The head is secured to the solid, possibly ash wood, haft handle with a gasket of Indian tanned hide and is carved at the eyelet protrusion along with still holding the original bone or tooth clean out plug with pieced hole. The haft shows extensive highly detailed hot file branding covering the entire surface of the wood along with green, red and yellow ocher mineral pigment polychrome painted finish in a diagonal design. At the gripping area shows a hand stop protruding which has a pierced hole holding a beaded drop with a tie of Indian tanned hide. The beaded drop is constructed of Indian tanned hide which is covered on the front with all early period correct glass trade seed cen beads in a geometric pattern being sinew sewn. The beadwork shows a medium light blue background with greasy yellow, red white heart, cobalt, chalk white and faceted brass colors in a Buffalo Bison track, tipi or zig-zag pattern. The outside edge of the drop has a fancy beaded design and the piece shows four rows of rolled tin jingle cone fringe. The back of the beaded drop has a tied-on horse “scalp” which is braided and has a blonde coloring with orange / yellow dye. The back of the drop shows an old Indian repair. The pipe haft has a smoking tip made from an old bone or tooth. The silver pewter has a nice mellow coloring and appears to be painted red ocher at one time. The head was used with the bottom edge of the blade being slightly irregular and the piece showing a stress fracture at the eyelet hole, the piece is currently very secure and not prone to further damage. The entire piece has a nice mellow patina and is in fine presentation condition with fine craftsmanship and rich coloring. Overall measures 22”L with a 29.5”L by 2 7/8”W beaded drop. The head is 9”L with a blade that is 3.75”L.
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