This is an exceptionally historic and rare early-1800’s spontoon pike war axe tomahawk from the Crow with stunning beaded drop from the ex-Cyrus Eaton, Ted and Lilly Jarvis, Chandler-Pohrt collections in the pattern documented as being forged by John Shield’s the blacksmith from the Lewis and Clark Expedition 1804-1806. This is a very early pattern of head which was first documented by Meriwether Lewis & William Clark on their 1804-1806 Lewis and Clark Expedition up the Missouri River basin. See the page from Lewis and Clark Journals written by Lewis on February 5, 1805, which notes “..natives who brought a considerable quanty of corn in payment for the work which the blacksmith had done for them— they are peculiarly attached to a battle ax formed in a very inconvenient manner in my opinion”, the page then goes to show a drawing of the axe which is identical to this documented example (and shown in the items photos). This example exhibits a blacksmith hand-forged iron head of a large size likely from one piece of wrought iron with the documented Lewis and Clark kite-shape showing four pierced holes in a diamond like pattern (noted as “bleeder” holes), which was bent around to form the round eye with two basal processes that were cut and forged from the body of the blade and curled outward / upward. The head is secured with poured pewter and old solid brass square shank trade tacks to a long haft handle with a fur on hide wrapping and impressive, large buffalo hide drop showing stunning early classic Crow beadwork. The beaded drop is in classic early Crow pattern and dates to mid-to-third-quarter 19th century showing a period correct old glass trade seed beads showing a pictorial cross and two morning stars done on Indian tanned buffalo hide with old red stroud trade clothe. The beads include red white hearts, greasy green, greasy yellow, cobalt, semi-transparent dark green, sky padre light blue. The drop shows mostly sinew thread with old trade thread with a long old red trade clothe stroud drop, Indian buffalo hide frilly fringes and three old solid brass hawk trade bells. For reference of identical and similar Crow Spontoon examples see Harold Peterson’s 1965 “American Indian Tomahawks” page 92, figure and image 52 and 53 (both noted by the expert as being of the pattern of Lewis and Clark in 1805 showing a kite-shape blade with bleeder holes, upward curled basal processes and hide wrapped handle); see the Spontoon axe 1830 in the Smithsonian Instituted USNM E359628-0 collection of Victor J. Evans; see the spontoon tomahawk in the Lewis & Clark research database from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, National Museum of the American Indian; see the Crow Spontoon War Tomahawk also from the Ted and Lilly Jarvis collection sold by Sotheby’s for $22,500 in 2013; and see the Plateau Spontoon Tomahawk with beaded drop sold by Bonhams Skinner in 2022 for $35,655. Provenance: From the ex-Milford Chandler and Richard Pohrt collection (very well renowned with much of their collection in the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian; Milford G. Chandler (1889-1981) and Richard A. Pohrt (1911-2005); ex-collection of Ted and Lilly Jarvis, noted collectors such as the other Spontoon example found to be authentic and sold by Sotheby’s; ex-collection of Cyrus Eaton London, England, Ted Levy Santa Rosa, California. Club it self shows good overall condition, head shows signs of preservation, cleaning by an old collector, club likely owned by the same Crow family for generations with the Crow Drop being added circa 1850-1870 and haft handle being an old repair replacement with old solid brass square shank trade tacks. Drop shows a stiffened hide with old repairs and some slight bead loss. Displays beautifully, one of the most attractive and large clubs we have ever offered. Club itself measures 29.75-inches long, head itself is 10 7/8-inches long by 4 1/8-inches wide, drop by itself is 30-inches long by 7.5-inches wide.