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Cowan's
Corner
American Indian Tomahawks
A Functional & Beautiful Piece of History
By Wes Cowan and Danica Farnand
The danger of a tomahawk clean, elegant form with its terrible razor-sharp
edge allures collectors to these weapons. The word tomahawk is derived from
tamahak, an Algonquin word referring to any cutting utensil. When Jamestown, the
first European colony, was founded in 1607, Captain John Smith referenced the
tomahawk to mean native hatchets or war club the term we all understand today.
Although tomahawks are known as weapons, they were also used as tools and
carried for prestige.
Originally, American Indians used wooden clubs with
stone heads for warfare. After European arrival, iron heads with steel blades
became available and were sought after by the American Indian. Although
Europeans attempted to create poor quality heads to trick their Native buyers,
if the production processes were understood, it could be insured that you would
receive a good piece. The axe or hatchet portion was formed of strap iron,
heated, hammered, and bent to shape. The blade was made of steel, inserted
between the iron, and hammered closed seamlessly.
Tomahawks, pipe tomahawks
and war clubs of this style can be found from the Northeastern woodlands to the
Great Plains. A few examples include: the Missouri war axe, an axe with heart or
geometric cutouts in the head; the spontoon tomahawk, formed with curling
projections on the sides of a pointed blade; the spiked tomahawk with a
formidable spike opposite the steel blade; the gunstock club formed with a
handle in the shape of a rifle; and the pipe tomahawk, doubling as a weapon and
taking the shape of many of the previously mentioned forms.
Tomahawks are
often replicated. However, an antique tomahawk is a true investment, a beautiful
piece of history, and when it comes time to sell, can bring great returns. When
examining a tomahawk, feel the weight and balance of the piece. The instrument
was made to chop and so the head should naturally fall forward. Often in
replicas, the head is too heavy and the balance is unnatural. Also, look and see
how the head is constructed. Can you see the insert of a steel blade? How is the
head assembled onto the handle? Axe heads slide from the bottom up, so when
swung the head does not fly off. If that happened, it would be a bad day for
everyone.
With pipe tomahawks, examine the edge of the handle. Wood grains
in cross-section should be concentric circles. In order to create the pipe stem,
a hot metal rod was inserted through the pith of a sapling, usually ash. A
non-concentric grain suggests a machine was used to drill the hole and it is
unlikely you are holding an antique. Finally, look at the overall color of the
wood and head to ensure it has a nice patina.
Tomahawks are beautiful pieces
of history, illustrating the uneasy relationships between the Europeans and
American Indians.
 Wes Cowan is founder and owner of Cowan's Auctions, Inc. in Cincinnati, Ohio and
Danica Farnand heads Cowan's American Indian division. An internationally
recognized expert in historic Americana, Wes stars in the PBS television series
"History Detectives" and is a featured appraiser on "Antiques Roadshow". He can
be reached at info@historicamericana.com.
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A mid-18th century "spontoon" blade pipe tomahawk from the Eastern Woodlands
fetched $1,900.
A so-called late 19th century "Missouri River War Axe" from the Plains
brought $1,800.
This fine example of an Eastern pipe tomahawk from the 1750s recently sold
for $4,750. |
