The lot features an authentic rare and important Missouri War Axe dating to circa 1840 from the Sauk & Fox Indians and published in “The Missouri War Axe: War Tomahawks of the Plains and Prairies”. The tomahawk exhibits a blacksmith hand-forged iron, large head with typical large blade commonly identified as a “Missouri War Axe” pattern which shows a pieced circular hole at the center of the blade with four filed engraved lines radiating on both sides, said to represent the sun. Like other Missouri War Axe examples the tomahawk has a round eyelet hold, it also shows two files lines running parallel around the outside with a filed ridge on the top and bottom of the eye as well. It is secured to a wood haft with a single iron pin. The head is affixed to a wood haft which shows solid brass square shank trade tacks at the top, just above the grip and just below the grip with varying stages of patina. The bottom of the haft is sanded to a round end and shows an Indian tanned buckskin sleeve with thin frilly hand cut fringes secured with brass tacking. The head dates to circa 1840 and has a rich deep patina from honest age and use, the haft, while possibly an early representation, is possibly a later addition. This design of Missouri War Axe is very documented with the piece being very similar to the example in the hands of Sauk & Fox Chief “Bear in the Forks of a Tree” as shown in the Karl Bodmer painting from the 1830’s (a digital image is shown for comparison). The head has old forging nicks and dings and is secured onto the hard wood haft handle with old hide gaskets and two old square head iron nails pounded in through each side of the eyelet hold (an early manner of securing the head to the haft, not often seen). The wooden haft is original and has yellow ocher mineral pigment paint which ahs faded to a lighter hue over time and has flaked off some from age & use. The term "Missouri War Axe" was coined by American Indian weapons collectors to describe this particular style of tomahawk. They were first discovered by Lewis & Clark on their 1804-1805 expedition financed by Thomas Jefferson, which sent them exploring up the upper Missouri River basin. Meriwether Lewis wrote about these weapons and sketched one in his journal, stating that the local Indians were fervently requesting the expedition blacksmith to make additional examples for them. He went as far as to state that it was the only item the Indians were willing to trade corn, grain and other expedition necessities for and that manufacture, and trade of additional axes is what solely got the explorers through the winter of 1805. Provenance: From a private collection outside of Milwaukee, Wisconsin; published in “The Missouri War Axe: War Tomahawk of the Plains and Prairies” by Mark Francis page 60 figure 71 and later in figure 98; the same book referenced by Sotheby’s for the their American Indian Art 2013 sale. Measures overall 25”L with the head being 9.5”L and 4 7/8”L across the bottom of the blade, also approx. 1.5”D at the eye.