Lot 17

Cheyenne Spontoon Pipe Tomahawk Beaded Drop c.1850

Estimate: $7,750 - $10,750

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 one of the best Cheyenne pipe tomahawks brought to the market, a phenomenal authentic, circa 1850’s spontoon pipe tomahawk attributed to the Northern Cheyenne. The tomahawk is a rare, pre-Indian Wars period piece featuring a blacksmith hand-forged head; it is a very scarce, early style without curled basal processes and having a knife-like blade, which slightly curves inwards and shows a double edge spontoon styling with a median ridge running down the center. The pipe bowl is vase-shaped with forged moldings and filed moldings at the eyelet hold flowing into the squared off, tapering blade with a raided prominent median ridge on both sides of the blade. The median ridge is a true attribute to the piece’s early age and is found on spontoon pipe tomahawks, lance spears, and dag knives. The hardwood haft is adorned with old brass tacks and old hot file brandings that have been heavily applied with raised sections between each tacked section. The tacks are all early trade examples with nice honest patina. The piece is paired with the beautiful beaded Great American Bison Buffalo Indian tanned hide gripping area wrapped sleeve and drop with fringe. The drop has the traditional, typical beaded Cheyenne “bar designs”, all in early glass trade seed beads in colors of chalk white, butterscotch greasy yellow, light green, cobalt, and red-white heart, a latter addition. The drop is backed with red stroud trade cloth and has seven old hawk trade bells tied on at the base with fringed red stroud wool trade cloth and hand cut hide fringe at the base. This is truly a fantastic, well preserved, pre-Indian Wars period example with nice dark patina showing honest true age and use with terrific art appeal. Provenance: From the ex-collection of Dale Harrison out of Ohio. The haft measures 26 ½ inches in length. Tomahawk head measures 10 ½ inches in length. The drop hangs an additional 20 inches in length.