Spontoon-type Tomahawk Pipe

Great Lakes Region
Mid-19th century (circa 1840–1875)
Wrought iron, wood, brass, and bone

Height: 56 cm
Head width: 27.5 cm
Blade height: 8 cm

A remarkable spontoon-style pipe-tomahawk, characterized by a broad, spearhead-shaped blade combined with a cylindrical bowl, the entire piece forged with great skill. The particularly harmonious proportions of the head, the quality of the forging, and the antique patina of the iron lend this piece an exceptional presence.

The blade, with its powerful and balanced lines, features two small, symmetrically arranged circular holes at its base—a forging detail observed on several antique pipe-tomahawks belonging to this family. The surface retains a perfectly stabilized, aged patina, attesting to a long history of use and preservation.

The hardwood handle is secured by a sturdy through-pin made of bone, radially slotted in a star pattern to ensure a durable mechanical lock. This traditional assembly method is a particularly meticulous technical detail.

The ornamentation relies primarily on woodworking. A longitudinal row of brass nails accompanies a ridge deliberately left in relief, both sides of which are carved with a regular succession of small waves created with a tool. This subtle carving enhances the feel of the handle while slightly improving its ergonomics.

The lower part of the handle features a design carved directly into the wood. Fine circular grooves punctuate the surface and delineate several sections whose patinas—naturally lighter or darker—highlight the grain and quality of the material. This decoration, achieved without the addition of any metal elements, fully contributes to the understated elegance of the piece as a whole.

Unlike pipe-tomahawks richly adorned with silver plates, metal wire, or beads, this piece favors a highly restrained aesthetic, where every decorative detail remains intimately linked to the object’s structure. This restraint highlights the quality of the forging and the mastery of woodworking rather than a pursuit of ostentatious ornamentation.

The head’s shape is fully consistent with the spontoon-type pipe-tomahawk family, represented in several North American public collections, while the highly distinctive treatment of the handle—combining a raised, sculpted ridge, longitudinal riveting, and decoration turned directly into the wood, appears much more rarely on published examples.

With its balanced proportions, fine craftsmanship, high-quality patina, and discreetly original decoration, this pipe-tomahawk stands as a remarkable testament to the art of weaponry and prestige objects from the Great Lakes region in the mid-19th century.

Provenance :

Bernard Souteyrand – « Œil de bison bourguignon »