The lot features an original very rare circa 1870’s knife blade war club attributed to the Yankton Sioux Native American Indians of Eastern South Dakota. The piece, which is a variation of the gunstock war club tomahawk, is a very rare and unusual form. This style of “knife blade” war club was only used by the Dakota Sioux tribes, particularly the Eastern Santee Sioux and Yanktonai Sioux, with no other tribes being documented as using a club such as this. Rather than the iron spear or lance point, the club holds two trade knife blades which have been inset int the long, thin wood haft. The hardwood haft is adorned with brass trade tacks and show a nice mellow patina from age and use. The end of the very large very long club shows a carved pommel like spherical knob and the back of the haft shows various file brandings. The piece is pictured in the 2009 book, “The Mark Francis Collection of American Indian Art” on page 132 figure 106, and in the 2018 book “Rare American Indian Weapons” by Mark Francis, on the cover and on page 67. Provenance: The piece was purchased by Mark Francis directly from noted author and collector John Baldwin and has been published in two war club books. Originally John Baldwin purchased the piece from dealer and fur trade historian Mike Storey. Mike Storey is credited as a consultant in the front of John Baldwin’s 1995 tomahawk book. The war club is similar to the Easter Plains Three-Bladed Knife Club from the Marvin L. Lince Oregon collection sold by Cowan’s Auction in their 04/05/2013 sale for $180,000 and the Knife Blade club from the Jim Ritchie collection sold by Cowan’s Auction in their 04/08/2016 sale for $96,000. Additional Provenance: The piece was sold at the March in Montana 2013 Sale for $14,000 and valued at $40,000-$60,000. The club measures overall 45 inches in length and the knife blades protrude from the haft 7 ½ inches. For further examples below: A similar knife club is in the collections of the Royal Ontario Museum (ca 1875: collection number ROM2005_5582_5). Chamberlain, A.F. 1890. "The Thunder-Bird Amongst the Algonkins". American Anthropologist Vol.A3:1 (51-54). Hanson, James. 1975. Metal Weapons, Tools, and Ornaments of the Teton Dakota Indians. University of Nebraska Press. For a complete representation of condition and for additional images please call 800-686-4216. It is the buyer’s responsibility to view each image and preview the item to determine condition.