For many Native American tribes on the Plains, war and hunting were their major pursuits, and the foundation upon which their culture was built. Warlike tribes such as the Sioux, Cheyenne, Arapaho, and Comanche counted their wealth in terms of horseflesh, captives, and buffalo skins, and the easiest way to acquire that frontier lucre was to raid and drive rival tribes from the prime hunting lands. That all required tremendous horsemanship, and most importantly, skill and daring in combat. Tomahawks were used in everything from raiding to “counting coup” and spiritual pursuits. This Antique 19th Century Hand Made Plains Tribe Native American Spearpoint Tomahawk is in Good condition, with some patina to the blade, some scratching and darkening to the handle, and some overall age wear evident. Most interestingly, it features a 6” spearpoint blade showing a strong French or English influence in terms of its shape with flared prongs at the base, and a beautiful old 24” wood handle with several figures carved at each side. From top to bottom on the left side, there’s a cross, a Comanche “S” or snake like symbol, what appears to be the letter “U”, and a teepee like shape. From top to bottom on the right side, there’s a cross, longhorns, what appears to be the letter “U”, and a spread wing eagle. The blade is sharp, the handle is well formed to fit the hand, and the handle displays a unique bottom that’s flared and has a contrived hole, almost certainly for a rawhide leather loop and to allow it to hang from a belt. It’s unmarked as to its maker or date, though was almost certainly hand made in the middle of the 19th century, and is a fine example of a rare, original Antique 19th Century Hand Made Plains Tribe Native American Spearpoint Tomahawk.
Knives