January 26, 2024 Brian Lebel's Old West Auction
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 1/26/2024
A pipe tomahawk with great Wild West history. Written in ink on the wood handle "From Chief Wannooneneka / John Logan to White Beaver 1902 / Frank Powell". Head is nickeled with knurled rings on the bowl, 8 1/4" with a 3" blade. The haft is 19" with drop hole. Dr. Frank Powell, also known as "White Beaver, the Exile of the Platte", was a surgeon at Fort McPherson and was the subject of many a story relating to William Cody. "The Buffalo Bill Dime Novels" made him a famous frontier personality. As stated in the 1988 catalog: "He was a personal friend and veteran of many companionable festive liquid occasions with Buffalo Bill". The forward of the catalog by Horace Greeley IV also states: "Other important items in the collection include firearms, cowboy artifacts, a tomahawk presented to his close friend Dr. D.F. "White Beaver" Powell...."
Provenance: Buffalo Bill's Wild West / Collection of Buffalo Bill's sister Julia Cody. "Property from the Personal Collection of Buffalo Bill's Sister, Julia Cody" Butterfield & Butterfield, 1988, Lot 3343
Item Dimensions: 19 - 1/2" x 8 - 1/4".
