This is an outstanding, scarce 19th-Century double batwing cutout pipe tomahawk. The piece dates to circa 1870 and on from the large collection of weapons and beadwork from the Plains collected by Ted and Lilly Jarvis of Jackson Hole, Wyoming. The piece was acquired from the Dakota Frontier Museum in Mitchell, South Dakota by respected artifact dealer Jim Aplan of Piedmont, South Dakota in the early 1990’s. Aplan later sold the piece to the Jarvis collection. In typical Plains pattern, the tomahawk is likely from the Sioux or Cheyenne Native American Indian tribes in origin and features an iron head that was blacksmith forged from a rifle / musket barrel. Pipe tomahawk heads forged from gun barrels are scarce and highly desired by collectors. The head features an unusual and rare pattern with a double cutout that collectors refer to as a “Double Batwing” cutout. This example shows no apparent punch stamping around the cutouts or circular copper inserts. The head has forged rings on the pipe bowl, forged chevrons or “V”’s on both sides, forged moldings and a small rear facing spur. Some batwing tomahawks exhibit a fancier, more intricate or delicate finish, and others such as this example are more plain and utilitarian. This example of head is identical to a double batwing tomahawk featured in Harold Peterson’s 1965 book “American Indian Tomahawks” figure 191, which also has a simple double batwing cutout with no copper inserts or punch dot engraving. Examples of similar double batwing tomahawks are shown for reference. Additional batwing examples with no copper inserts or punch dot decorations on the blade have been documented by Hartzler & Knowles in “Indian Tomahawks & Frontiersmen Belt Axes” and by Francis in “Rare American Indian Weapons” Volumes 1 and 2, and are shown in the photo gallery as well. The hardwood haft on this tomahawk has much wear to the finish from age and is extensively adorned with brass tacking in different designs on both sides. The head is secured to the haft with remnants of an old buckskin hide gasket and brass tacks. The large, iron clean out plug is still intact, but pushed flat into the top of the haft / eye. There is a small beaded and fringed dangle drop with old-tarnished brass trade beads tied onto the end of the haft done in Indian tanned hide with long frilly fringes, an older example. The beadwork is in typical geometric plains pattern with old glass trade seed beads in colors of greasy butterscotch yellow, greasy green, medium blue, cobalt and red white hearts. This is truly a scarcely seen double batwing tomahawk that displays beautifully and is a fantastic Indian Wars American Indian weapons example. Provenance: From the Dakota Frontier Museum, Jim Aplan collection, Ted and Lilly Jarvis collection. The head measures 9 ½ inches long by 4 1/8 inches wide across the bottom of the blade. Total length of the tomahawk is 19 ½ inches.