North American Auction Company
Live Auction

Legends of the West: Western & Native American Sale

Sat, Sep 23, 2023 11:00AM EDT
Lot 529

Gambler Card Suit Dance Pipe Tomahawk w/ Drop

Estimate: $5,000 - $7,000

Bid Increments

Price Bid Increment
$50 $10
$100 $25
$500 $50
$1,000 $100
$2,000 $250
$5,000 $500
$10,000 $1,000
$30,000 $2,500
$50,000 $5,000
$100,000 $10,000
The lot features a unique and unusual “Gambler’s Tomahawk” said to be of an older to vintage age from the hand of Sioux, Jack Yellow Hawk. The tomahawk shows all four gambler card player’s suits cut out into the blade including the Club, Spade, Heart and Diamond. According to the owner history of the piece the tomahawk was collected at the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation from the tomahawks maker, Jack Yellow Hawk a Sioux member, with his wife Mary Yellow Hawk making the beaded hide drop. The piece was collected year ago from the family at Pine Ridge by Jim Aplan of Piedmont, South Dakota later selling the piece to Ben Thompson. Supposedly Ben Thompson showed the piece at the Central States Archaeological Society as part of a special exhibit. Later from the collections of Terry Haas and Ted Levy. The tomahawk shows a wide triangle western blade with curved partially sharpened blade showing four cut outs in the blade, a rear facing spur, oblong oval eye hole with heavy ridges and welded on the top a cast and turned short pipe bowls having graduated rounded ridges. The head is on a what appears to be a hardwood haft handle with darker stained color having file brandings and later brass covered metal tacks with round shanks in multiple sizes. The end is wrapped in hide, parfleche and clothe and at the bottom is tied on with hide a nice beaded Indian tanned hide drop which has supple soft condition. The beadwork is in classic Sioux geometric pattern with colors of greasy yellow, greasy blue, white, dark blue, greasy green, orange, Cheyenne pink which appear to be traditionally sinew sewn. The long fringes were cut from the same piece of hide the drop is made from. The cut outs are crisp with some machine-like ridges or grind marks. Age of the head is unknown but was noted by the collector as being from some substantial collectors. Review the piece for your own representation of age and origin. Measures overall 30”L overall with the head being 11”L and the drop is 22”L.

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