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Missouri War Axe Tomahawk by Henri Papin c.1800-20

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles Start Price:25.00 USD Estimated At:2,000.00 - 4,000.00 USD
Missouri War Axe Tomahawk by Henri Papin c.1800-20
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This is a very rare and early Missouri War Axe style tomahawk made by documented blacksmith Henri Papin and dating to circa 1800-1820. The piece is very nicely stamped onto one side of the blade with the Papin name as can be seen from the photographs. Papin made relics are extremely rare and uncommon. Henri Papin married into the Chouteau family in St. Louis, Missouri where he began to forge and sell iron implements to the Osage and Pawnee Native American Indians in the region. The Osage County Historical Society Museum in Oklahoma shows a circa 1780-1800 example in their collection that has been attributed to being crafted by Henri Papin. The head on this rare piece is crudely forged from sheet iron and has many hammer and file marks visible. The wood haft appears to be original to the piece and shows a nice deep patina and is adorned with a serrated “stair-case” style bottom end along with various brass tacks and a drop of two feathers. The feather drop appears to have been added in the last 50 years or so, likely by a previous collector, and are turkey feathers, dressing the piece up nicely, but not original. The term "Missouri War Axe" was coined by American Indian weapons collectors to describe this particular style of tomahawk. They were first discovered by Lewis & Clark on their 1804-1805 expedition financed by Thomas Jefferson, which sent them exploring up the upper Missouri River basin. Meriwether Lewis wrote about these weapons and sketched one in his journal, stating that the local Indians were fervently requesting the expedition blacksmith to make additional examples for them. He went as far as to state that it was the only item the Indians were willing to trade corn, grain and other expedition necessities for and that manufacture and trade of additional axes is what solely got the explorers through the winter of 1805. This is truly a rare, authentic example of one of the earliest styles of Native American weapons crafted by a documented and known blacksmith of the period. The only other tomahawks with Papin’s touch mark on the blade exist in a private collection and museum. Although lacking in the striking art appeal of other early tomahawks, this piece exhibits important historical value. From the Ex. Collections of Dr. Roy Mackal tribal arts collection and Dr. Bruce Macabee, along with being from the Ben Thompson Collection. The head measures 8.25” in length by 4.5” across the bottom of the blade. The total length of the piece is 20.5”.