This is an exceptional circa 1770-1810 American Indian Pipe Tomahawk with amazing engraving and silver inlays. The piece shows a forged iron tomahawk head with steel blade showing a mid-18th Century pattern head with a barrel shaped short and wide bowl with forge molding / filed rings which flow into the forged molding chevrons at the eye and step moldings, overall the head is thick and very well made. The bowl itself has a very slight spiral cut inside. The blade itself shows a small rear facing spur with faceted rear of the blade and slightly curved blade. The blade on the right side shows a hand engraved American Eagle with spread wings having a shield at its breast being traditional patriotic striped clutching in its claws both three arrows and a spear (also referred to as a lance, pike), the eagle head is turned to the right. The left side is hand engraved with the motto “Success To Liberty” and shows a cross hatch engraved finish with large heart having a Native American human figure with heart at its chest and a rabbit and wolf above. The club is secured to the haft with a gasket of hide which can still be seen and the original wood clean out plug is still present. The eyelet hole shows an oval slightly tear drop shape. The haft itself is an excellent solid wood tiger maple quarter sawn with rich striped dark to light grain, nice chocolate shiny patina from honest age and use and three silver bands inlaid being held into place with four tiny silver nails. The haft handle tapers gradually to the smoking tip which shows a pewter inlay triangular tooth like design with the surface having a dark original coloring. The steel forged inset blade can be seen with a slight color change. The bowl is also slightly beveled. For several very similar examples see Harold L. Peterson’s 1965 book “American Indian Tomahawks” with one in particular being incredibly similar; shown on page 105 and 106, figure / photograph 124 dated to circa 1786-1810 from the Robert Abels collection also showing an engraved American Indian and Shield. Provenance: From a historic Eastern Montana American Indian Collection, where the piece was found to be an authentic original, one of the finest collections of American Indian weaponry and antiquities in Montana. The piece measure 17.25”L with the head being 7 1/8”L with the blade being 3”W and the eyelet being 1 5/8”W at the outside.