This is an exceedingly rare quartz stone head skullcracker / skull cracker war club in a massive size used on horseback from the Plains Indians dating to circa 1860-1870’s from the ex- Chandler-Pohrt collection and a private California collection. This is a massive example showing a large polished and carved quartz stone head with thick long haft handle; large and long examples such as this were formidable weapons, used during the Indian Wars era by warriors from horseback. The piece is comprised of Great American Bison Buffalo Indian tanned parfleche rawhide wrapped wooden handle haft with sinew sewing covered in old mineral pigment red ochre / ocher paint. The head is wrapped in parfleche rawhide and shows sinew and hide ties at the top, originally carried Eagle Feather adornment (which were previously removed for legal purposes). The top shows a carved and polished stone war club skull cracker head which is carved from quartz, the stone illuminates when a light is held to it. Quartz heads such as this were thought to hold a mystical power and held a high social status amongst warriors, other examples have been documented amongst the Northern Plains, Sioux and Comanche. The carved wood handle shows a pommel widened end in a bell like shape giving a natural hand stop, with a drop of Indian tanned buffalo hide ties drop showing mineral pigment yellow ochre / ocher dyed horse tail hair drop. The large size with long haft lend to use on horseback creating immense force. Provenance: From the ex-Milford Chandler and Richard Pohrt collection (very well renowned with much of their collection in the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian; Milford G. Chandler (1889-1981) and Richard A. Pohrt (1911-2005); also from the private California Native American collection. The club is well preserved showing natural patina from honest age and use with some slight paint loss, but mostly present. Measures overall with drop 54-inches long, the club itself without the drop is 36 5/8-inches long and the head is about 3.25-inches across, drop is an additional 17-inches long.