July 12-14, 2022 Collectible Firearms & Militaria
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 7/12/2022
Circa 1870s - 1880s large and stunningly carved meerschaum horse head pipe made by famed 19th century Austrian Meerschaum artisan Jon. H. Menhard. Brass plate inscription reads: "BELONGED TO BIG CHIEF WHITE HORSE, PRESENTED TO C. LAZARO BY HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN 'WA-THE-NA'." Wa-The-Na "the Queen" was actually his wife and was a white woman. White Horse Eagle travelled America, Europe, and Asia, claiming to be an Osage and chief of 105 Indian tribes and bestowing chief's honors on white celebrities wherever he came. He attracted tremendous attention during his Grand Tour of Germany in the spring and summer of 1929: he had made a sensational arrival in Berlin on April 18 in full chief's array and a feather head-dress of several meters in length. He requested to shake President Hindenburg's hand, as he allegedly had done with Bismarck during his first Grand Tour in 1887. He proceeded to visit the Berlin Anthropological Society and the grave of Karl May, Germany's cult writer of Westerns. After hiring on a German Wild West circus similar to that of Buffalo Bill's, he dictated an autobiography to the Nazi historian Edgar von Schmidt-Pauli. White Horse gave stirring laments over the dying Indian race. The Viennese artist Steffi Ventura painted his portrait. Later, when White Horse fell into disrepute, his alleged tribesmen complained that he spoke not a word of their native language, that he knew nothing of Indian culture and religion, and that the only God he held dear was alcohol. An interesting relic named to an albeit dubious persona of American history. CONDITION: Pipe is in excellent condition with no broken pieces or fractures the meerschaum body. Original leatherette case is present but shows heavy wear with inside still very nice with sky blue silk and crushed velvet lining intact. BRM.