Pictures of old historical tomahawks.

If you want old hawks, check this out.

http://furtradetomahawks.tripod.com/

I've only found one myself and I know a lot about the history of the area were I found it (north central Canada, along a major river). Women, children, fur traders were killed and trade posts burnt down by the Gros Ventre. Considering how the Indians were treated around here, I pass no judgment. Neither side were angels.

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A rare Eighteenth Century iron and wood pipe tomahawk, with blade etched on both sides. It was sold for $58,300.
 
This one is interesting. I wonder if it is authentic. What do you guys think?
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Nice pics Brother Edwood. About the axe, probably yes and no. First it is handmade so that makes it authentic, but when? It is highly polished stone which means a lot of handwork or naturally found such as river rocks so the handle and wrapping would date the assembly.The wrapping is full of dirt and grime so it was rode hard and put up wet so to speak but the stone is very clean. Also the wear marks on the handle show heavy usage all the way up the haft (where the stain is worn off on the high spots) instead of just where your hand holds it or it could have been wiped off a lot. So one detail can open up many questions.
Here is an example;

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This one was found recently in Missouri, the Axe head itself is from the Archaic period,
somewhere between 6,000 and 8,000 years old, but the rawhide bound antler handle was documented by a scientist at around 50 years old.
So is it "authentic"? Yes and no. I think authentic has to include that it was needed and we made it or re-made it. Perhaps it had been used for a thousand years and just needed a new handle. There are still stone axes made and used today in parts of the world. In Costa Rica I saw shell fishermen cracking open oysters with stone hammers that they make from smooth river rocks. Now being made for the tourists or made and advertised for sale as an "Indian Relic" opens up a new can of worms.....Randy
 
Brother Edwin, naaaa, imo if the head is early early it's been buffed to death. The handle and wraps are both new, I would say close to brand new. The handle wear is all wrong and the crap in the wraps is the same colour as the stain on the handle. Smell it ;-))))
Check out the surface on the stone club the Randy posted, that is what you want to see, eons of touching.
I'll tell ya though, that Tod Bitler guy does a pretty great and believable patina. He's scary good.

Keep safe

R
 
I'll tell ya though, that Tod Bitler guy does a pretty great and believable patina. He's scary good.
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You have that right Brother, he is good.... and very expensive.....That might be the path.......Randy
 
church&son said:
You have that right Brother, he is good.... and very expensive.....That might be the path.......Randy
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You got that right Randy, the only people with money have lots, everyone else is broke. High end is the way to go I think.

R
 


Type:

Axe?


Material:

Chert


Period:

Late Pre-Classic to Terminal Classic Period: 250 BC - 900 AD


Provenance:

Central America


Measurements:

27.7 cm x 15.5 cm


Blunt end is ancient, not a recent break evidenced by presence of identical patina on the end facet. Whether this terminally flat end was made intentionally and set into a wood handle, used as an axe head or is ancient damage and this was a votive piece, is purely speculative on our part but also based on the analysis of flaking technique and style of this one blunt end. The flaking is steeper and there is not so much a cutting edge on the blunt process like the shallower and sharper edged two other processes. Blunt end has similar style flaking seen on the handles of macro-blades whereas the flaking is different on the other two processes, similar to blade edge knapping styles of this culture and period.

This piece could have also been used by a royal military commander or ruler at the top of a scepter staff. We do not know of any other piece ever discovered, that resembles this specimen.
 
Edwood7 said:


Type:

Axe?





Material:

Chert


Period:

Late Pre-Classic to Terminal Classic Period: 250 BC - 900 AD


Provenance:

Central America


Measurements:

27.7 cm x 15.5 cm


Blunt end is ancient, not a recent break evidenced by presence of identical patina on the end facet. Whether this terminally flat end was made intentionally and set into a wood handle, used as an axe head or is ancient damage and this was a votive piece, is purely speculative on our part but also based on the analysis of flaking technique and style of this one blunt end. The flaking is steeper and there is not so much a cutting edge on the blunt process like the shallower and sharper edged two other processes. Blunt end has similar style flaking seen on the handles of macro-blades whereas the flaking is different on the other two processes, similar to blade edge knapping styles of this culture and period.

This piece could have also been used by a royal military commander or ruler at the top of a scepter staff. We do not know of any other piece ever discovered, that resembles this specimen.
Click to expand...



Now THAT is awesome. Look at that thing, totally amazing.

Great piece Edwin, thanks for posting that.

R
 



Here is what the artist says about this master work.

This is a replica of a Mississipian mace. I borrowed heavily from key design elements of old maces without copying any one in particular. The mace on the far left of the background photo, perhaps the finest of the old maces, was the primary inspiration. The photo dates back to 1935 when these amazing artifacts were dug from the Craig Mound in Spiro, Oklahoma.

This is the fifth mace I've made. They all seem to take about 14 or 15 hours to knap, which is two or three times as long as other pieces.

Length: 14 1/2". Material: Georgetown chert. Don Crouch collection.



Incredible.
 
Edwood7 said:
I think the halberd tomahawks are some of the most interesting hawks out there, the fact that the natives cut the down and modified them for their own style of fighting is very intriguing.
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I agree, interesting style. Daniel Boone's prized hawk was a halberd style, so the story goes.
 
Low Dog, Oglalla Sioux. Involved with Custer and Reno, I think. Hawk pic is fuzzy, sure, but dude looks bad ass.

low dog.jpg
 
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