This is an exceptional presentation grade pipe tomahawk that is nearly identical, likely by the same maker, as the example in the British Museum and documented by John Baldwin in his book “Tomahawks and Pipe Axes of the American Frontier”. The 1800-1850’s tomahawk shows a short, turned dark wood haft stem, which has a stout long smoking tip with two carved ridges having a fat rounded gripping area that tapers towards the head, ending in multiple carved, vase-like ridges. The haft appears to be a nice hardwood with nice, honest dark coloring from honest age and it shows a split crack, exposing the wood and giving a nice view of the true patina. The head itself is crafted of solid brass/ bronze with a slightly downward pointing blade with straight edges and rear flaring inside edge of the blade with flat spur, octagonal eye and eyelet moldings paired with the tapering octagonal tall, slender bowl with top molded ridge. The blade itself is highly hand engraved across the entire surface, showing on one side with an early Indian with headdress, using this tomahawk on a late 1700’s to early 1800’s dressed colonial man next to a tree; there is a fancy crisscross diamond and star border at the end. The other side shows a smiling half-moon, also showing the same border. The top of the blade had nice, ridged moldings and the entire top of the blade and octagonal eye are highly engraved with infinity-like pattern with stars, crisscrossing diamonds, and more stars. The entire piece has a rich, dark mellow coloring, an honest attribution to its age. Behind the tomahawk head shows a spacer of brass/bronze/ copper with matched engraving. At the eyelet hole is a leaf or tear drop-like shaped spike with spontoon-like double edge blade with square shank, being blacksmith forged and further adorned with artful circular pictures with etched cut engravings, totaling six cutouts. The pipe tomahawk is likely made from the same hand as the example shown in The British Museum, showing the nearly identical design. The British Museum example number AM, Dc. 76 is referred to as circa 1800 from the Northeast American Indians, showing the same engraved scene on one side and a US Arms scene on the other with the same turned wood haft being short and dark and spontoon-like spike/ pike with the same cutouts; the similarity is astounding. The British Museum piece was from the William Bragge and William Wareham collections and acquired in 1882. The museum piece was also documented by John Baldwin in the 1995 book, “Tomahawks and Pipe Axes of the American Frontier”, on page 21, figure 036. A photograph of the John Baldwin book entry and the listing in the British Museum are shown for examples sake. A similar example was previously seen by the experts at Bonhams Auction House and given a value of $20,000 to $30,000. 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. Measures 18.25 inches long, with a head that is 6 5/8 inches long by 3.25 inches across the bottom edge of the blade. This is truly a work of art that has significant historic and collectible importance.