This is a unique spontoon pipe tomahawk attributed to the Crow Native American Indians of the 19th Century of Colorado. The piece features a hand-forged iron spontoon-style head in an early pattern of head with kite-shaped blade, no basal processes, and slightly raised median ridge running down the center of the blade (a documented early weapons feature). The axe head shows a small rear facing spur, molded oval slightly tear drop eyelet or eye hole with “V” shaped chevrons leading to a vase shaped, slightly tall and slender pipe bowl, which was crafted from an old musket rifle barrel with hand cut rifling still visibly present. The bowl shows a molded rounded ridge at the top and base of the bowl outer edge. The blade shows a fold on both sides, indicating it’s forging manufacture. Being forged in the 1800’s, the piece was alter cleaned by an owner or collector, as shown by the scratches in the blade and varying patina coloring. The head is secured to the ash solid wood haft with an old buckskin gasket and various sizes of tacks in a random linear pattern. The tacks range from solid brass square shank to brass covered metal round shank tacks having various wear and coloring. The handle/haft is adorned with faded old hot-file branding and shows a pierced hole just above the gripping area, which would have held a drop or wrist throng. The eyelet hole area is also covered with brass and metal trade tacks. At the base of the handle is a wrapping of cloth and Indian tanned hide fringe leading to a fairly typical shaped beaded drop with geometric pattern in glass trade seed beads. The drop and wrapping appear to be possibly modernly refurbished/repaired with old materials, a common practice in tomahawk collecting. The beadwork includes such colors as greasy blue, cobalt, green, red white heart, greasy Cheyenne pink, and a greasy yellow. The drop also shows four metal concho tacks on top of a black felt or wool, flowing into the long hand cut hide fringe, which is also adorned with rolled tin jingle cones. The hide drop is backed in black stroud trade cloth. This is very similar to the example in figure 271, page 133 of Harold L. Peterson’s “American Indian Tomahawks” book from 1965; the example is dated to circa 1860-1880 and has a “classic so-called ‘Minnewauken’ form with the kite-shaped blade almost a diamond…. Slight median ridge running down the blade” (MAI/HF: 22/7292). Provenance: Collected in Colorado from the Crow from the ex-collection of Dale Harrison of Ohio. The tomahawk itself measures 21.25” long with a drop that hangs an additional 26” long and is 5” wide. The head itself is 10.5” long by 2.5” wide by 1 3/8” deep.