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Plains Indian Spontoon Pipe Tomahawk 19th Century

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles Start Price:1,500.00 USD Estimated At:3,750.00 - 6,750.00 USD
Plains Indian Spontoon Pipe Tomahawk 19th Century
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The lot features a 19th Century spontoon pipe tomahawk from the Plains Native American Indians. The piece shows a forged iron head with diamond shaped spontoon blade with median ridge running down the center and sharp blades coming to a point. The piece also shows two basal processes in unique form being long tapering to a point but facing downward. The median ridge runs the entirety of the blade ending at the heavy forge molded beveled step at the base of the smooth tear drop eye which is further accented by heavy molded chevrons. At the top of the head shows a beveled thin neck flowing to a sharp ridge and smooth widening large pipe bowl with thick walls and large smoking area. There is a slight forge line seen on both sides of the bowl neck marriage to the eyelet top, suggesting the bowl was a cast piece forge welded to the blade. The head has a dark coloring with exposed worn metal. The head is secured to the wood haft with a gasket of hide showing a partial protrusion from the front which exhibits the clean out plug. The haft itself starts as a tear drop shape fitting the eyelet hole having a slight ridge down the first three to four inches along the base of the haft which then cuts in to a flat which later cuts back out at the base of the gripping area giving a true pommel end with sharp ridge being pieced which would have held a drop of feathers or bead work. The top of the haft has a smooth surface. The back features a long-carved wood smoking tip. The piece is accented by solid brass round shank later added tacks. The piece is very similar to an example features in Harold L. Peterson’s 1965 book “American Indian Tomahawks” on page 132 figure / photograph 262 showing a diamond shaped spontoon blade with slightly downward turned basal processes and tall bowl and undercut wood haft flaring at the end of grip attributed to circa 1860-1880 Comanche Indians. Provenance: From a historic Eastern Montana American Indian Collection where the piece was found to be an authentic original, one of the finest collections of American Indian weaponry and antiquities in Montana. Measures 21.25”L with a head that is 10.75”L with a blade that is 2 3/8”W.