Lot 431

Sioux Gunstock from Battle of the Little Bighorn

Estimate: $10,000 - $20,000

Bid Increments

Price Bid Increment
$0 $5
$50 $10
$100 $25
$500 $50
$1,000 $100
$2,000 $250
$5,000 $500
$10,000 $1,000
$25,000 $2,500
$100,000 $5,000
The lot features a gunstock spontoon war club with paperwork from The Guns of History, Inc. Wendell Grangaard attributing the piece as being owned by White Buffalo and used at the Battle of the Little Bighorn. The piece shows a typical gunstock haft handle with solid wood construction which is highly relief carved with an incised raised center section holding rows of solid brass square shank trade tacks with three four-point morning stars at the top of each side (six total) along with two circular star cutouts through the stock being nine-point and ten-point stars. The back side of the gunstock shows three triangular ridges all with a pierced hole which would have held a drop of feathers, which is no longer present. The base of the piece shows a triangular pommel with brass trade tacks and pierced hole which would have held a hide wrist throng or drop of beadwork. At the front of the piece shows a solid copper / bronze spontoon pike blade showing a double edge with squared end being held into the piece with an iron pin. The spontoon pike shows a tapering median ridge and wide basal processes with dark coloring and worn tip. Wendell Grangaard examined the piece and the extensive research done by him accompanies the piece. The piece has various Togia Lakota carved symbols and phrases which translate to White Buffalo (found twice at the top), Rode Together Black Deer Headman, Sun Burst of the Oglala Sioux, True Oyuhpe, brass button configuration of the Hunkpatile Band, White Buffalo (again on the handle), brass button configuration for Big Roads Band of True Oglala, Headman White Buffalo, White Buffalo Rode with Big Road Blue Hawk One Speaks Bad Brave Friends. White Buffalo was born in 1850 to Oglala Lakota Sioux parents. He joined Big Road’s band and became a headsman of the band. He fought at the Battle of the Little Bighorn, or as the Sioux referred to it Battle of Greasy Grass (also referred to as Custer’s Last Stand). He rode with his friends Black Deer, Big Road, Blue Hawk and One Speaks Bad into the Battle of the Little Bighorn. White Buffalo surrendered in May 1877 with Crazy Horse, along with his nephew who he lived with, Spotted Rabbit. After Crazy Horse was killed he did not go to Canada with Big Road, but rather returned to the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation and became a tribal historian, compiling a list of Sioux who were killed at Little Bighorn which numbered to be 29. White Buffalo died in 1930. Wendell Grangaard then goes to say that he attributes this weapon to have been carried by Oglala Sioux White Buffalo into the Battle of the Little Bighorn as is documented on the piece in the Lakota Togia language on the piece, by White Horse himself, who later became a historian himself. Sources can ben found in the item’s authentication resources papers along with illustrations of all the Togia carving marks. A copy of the Crazy Horse Surrender Ledger is shown with White Buffalo being present. Provenance: Paperwork authenticating the piece as being owned by White Buffalo and used at the Little Bighorn by Wendell Grangaard of The Guns of History, Inc. From a large private American Indian collection in Livingston, Montana. Measures overall 25.25”L by 8.5”W with a blade that is 3 7/8”L by 1 7/8”W.
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