Important Metal and Wood Pipe Tomahawk

also known as The 1843 Ebenezer Patrick Pipe Tomahawk, composed of a haft of flattened cylindrical section, with tapering pewter mouthpiece, finely inlaid with bands of pewter, in the form of circles, ovals and zigzags, surmounted by a forged steel head, with carinated bowl, and expanding blade, punch stamped with sun and star burst designs; rich dark brown patina on the shaft.

Acquired in 1843 in Kansas by Ebenezer Patrick
By family descent until 2000
Acquired by the present owner from the above

Very fine condition.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

For a discussion of pipe tomahawks see Penney, ed., 1989, pp. 95-99: "Tools and weapons in a great variety were developed by Europeans during their years of exploration and conquest in North America. Many of these items, offered in exchange for furs and other native products, found their way into Indian hands as trade goods. The pipe tomahawk, however, was a unique American implemet, combining an ax with a smoking pipe...It is not certain when the pipe tomahawk was first introduced, but it appears to be sometime during the first half of the eighteenth century. Lieutenant Henry Timberlake observed and described pipe tomahawks among the Cherokee in the 1750s. There is a strong possibility that the pipe tomahawk was first manufactured by a blacksmith in America...We can also not discount the possibility that an Indian, who was familiar with metal working or serving as an apprentice to a blacksmith, first engineered the pipe tomahawk."