May 26th 2017 Premier Native American Sale
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 5/26/2017
Collected from an old Indian family at Pawhuska, Oklahoma this circa 1840-1850 Osage war tomahawk is in the "Missouri War Axe" style, with long, round haft and triangular, thin blade. The hand-forged head measures 8 inches in length and features a weeping heart cut out in the center of the blade with artful file work decoration on the blade's edges. The hard wood haft is covered in old faded red stroud cloth, in typical Osage fashion, and has a crudely cut slant on the bottom of the gripping area. The stroud is sewn on with old thread and is secured with brass tacks. Total length is 20 3/4 inches. It was featured in the 2010 book "The Missouri War Axe: War Tomahawk of the Plains and Prairies" on page 67 figure 82. Other red stroud cloth wrapped Missouri War Axe tomahawks have been documented by McKenney & Hall, Baldwin, Francis, Hanson, Peterson, Woodward, and Hartzler & Knowles. Almost identical examples are in the Peterson tomahawk book, the Oklahoma State Museum, and Osage Chief Bacon Rind's example shown in the book "Art of the Osage".
Condition: (Very Good).
Item Dimensions: 20-3/4"L. x 8"W.