This is an outstanding, rare and artful pipe tomahawk that is highly engraved and in brass from the Sioux Indians of South Dakota dating to circa 1880’s. The piece was collected at the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation and features a kite-shaped spontoon blade and tall slender pipe in solid brass, sometimes referred to as white bronze. The head has exceptional, artful file work as well as a punch-dot and stipple engraving as well as rocker engraving / etchings. There is some minor and expected oxidation on the head from honest age and use, as brass with often discolor with age. The hardwood haft handle is decorated with old brass trade tacks in different designs on each sides as well as a long, old split on the left side of the haft from the drying of wood over time. There is also a nice beaded drop tied onto a suspension hole at the bottom of the haft that is likely a later addition, but still and older piece, dressing it up nicely. The kite shaped spontoon blade has a median ridge running down both sides of the blade with two upward curled basal processes. The eye or eyelet hole is diamond shaped with filed raised ridges, highly engraved diamond and punch dot pattern with chevrons at the pipe. The pipe bowl is tall and slender shows two filed ridges, on the top and bottom, with the body being octagonal faceted with a bowed center, a gorgeous and unique bowl. This is truly a gorgeous tomahawk in rare presentation being highly engraved. The later added, old drop shows a traditional pattern on Indian tanned hide covered in older glass trade seed beads with a chalk white background, border in medium green and red and pattern in cobalt, amber / greasy yellow, medium green and red. Long frilly fringe below. Provenance: From the ex-Ted Levy collection Santa Rosa, California. The head measures 12 inches long by 22 inches long overall not including the drop.