"The intent here was to portray a three generation tomahawk....It begins with a late 18th Century maple handled eastern tomahawk with brass fittings. Upon going west in the early 19th Century, the braintan buckskin grip and blue and white pound beaded "flares" were added circa 1830's - the flares are based on a Missouri Warhawk carried by the Mandan Chief, Mato-Tope in a painting by Bodmer circa 1834. The brain tan buckskin drop, which is beaded on both sides - floral on one side and geometric on the other - in a northern plains style with pound beads, was added circa the 1855-60 period.
This is a collaboration piece, the steel head was hand-forged some years ago by the late Gib Guignard, the rest of the work, including the file work on the head, was done by my wife, Linda, and me. The scraped and hand burnished curly maple handle is finished in the period method with aqua fortis and linseed oil based varnish. The end plug and mouthpiece are made from deer antler - the mouthpiece is hidden by the rear beaded flare, which can be folded back for smoking. Additional decorations on the drop include: fringe, brass beads, hawk bells, and tin cone tinklers with buffalo hair fluffs. The entire piece was then aged....
Also pictured are two of our early 19th century style hand forged knives. The one the left has a coyote jawbone grip, the right hand knife has a bear jawbone grip - both have buffalo rawhide wraps. The hair dangle on the bear jawbone knife is human - courtesy of my wife." C.B.
More of Chucks' work can be seen on his web site Wild Rose Trading Co.
Photo supplied by Chuck Burrows.
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