This is an original circa 1870-1890 Indian Wars era pipe tomahawk from the Plains Indians with phenomenal double five-point star cutouts. The piece was found to be an authentic circa 1870-1890 example by the experts at the Magellan Art Gallery Colle Val d'Elsa, Italy. The head of the tomahawk shows a classic wide, flaring Western pattern head with slight curve to the blade, a small rear facing spur with heavy filed carved stepped moldings. The head is clearly blacksmith hand forged from sheet iron with the folded sheets being worked and coming together at the blade to eye connection, a separation being seen, and a forged weld fold being exposed on one side. The eyelet or eye hole is round and has heavy diamond chevrons flowing into the impressive large vase shaped pipe bowl with around five molded ridges. At the blade center are two primitively cutout stars with unusual, scarce five-points, sitting side by side, likely standing for a band or clan. The head is secured to the hardwood handle with a hide gasket, with a cleanout plug present in the wood. The handle shows a round to oval taper and is covered in file burned brandings covering the entire surface with integral carved smoking tip. There are a few bands and Maltese cross symbols in brass covered metal round shank tacks. The gripping area is decorated with red Stroud old trade clothe with Indian brain tanned wrappings and fringes with one square shank old brass tack missing the head and one brass covered metal tack. The haft handle is likely a later addition, but still a beautiful accompaniment. Provenance: From Magellan Art Gallery Ethnographic Collection in Colle Val d'Elsa, Italy and a private Northern California Native American Collection. Measures overall 23”L with the head being 9 5/8” and 3 7/8”L across the bottom of the blade.*