Lot 121

Crow Stylized Heart Cutout Pipe Tomahawk 1870

Estimate: $6,750 - $8,750

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
This is an outstanding stylized weeping heart cutout and copper inlaid pipe tomahawk with a beautiful beaded drop, originating from the Crow Native American Indians and dating to circa 1870’s. The tomahawk features a blacksmith forged iron head with a single pierced/ cutout extremely stylized weeping heart pattern with intricate details and two additional cutouts, a circular and diamond example, all at the center of the blade. The head shows a small rear facing spur with filed moldings on the eye hole and chevron top, leading into the vase shaped inward tapering bowl with beautifully finished, deep ridged design. The solid wood haft is adorned with old brass trade tacks, old faded hot file branding, and a long beaded and fringed Buffalo hide drop with a sleeve secured by brass tacks. The beaded drop, comprised of Great American Bison Buffalo Indian tanned hide, shows an exceptional work-of-art geometric pattern, backed with red stroud trade cloth and sewn with both sinew and trade thread. The beadwork shows all period correct, early glass trade seed beads in colors of Cheyenne pink, chalk white, cobalt, corn yellow, and semi-transparent green. The bottom is further adorned with wound glass large pony trade beads in white and hand cut long fringe. Unique stylized heart or weeping heart cutout pipe tomahawk examples such as this are unusual and scarce with amazing display appeal. This is truly a fine example from the Indian Wars period with amazingly beautiful, beaded drop from the revered Crow warriors. Provenance: From the ex-collection Cyrus Eaton out of London, England. The tomahawk head measures 11 1/2 inches long by 4 1/2 inches wide across the bottom of the blade. Measures overall 24 ¼ inches in length with an additional 25-inch-long drop.