pipe tomahawk

pipe tomahawk

pipe tomahawk

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Introduction

Tomahawk pipe bowl made of brass and iron, decorated with floral and leaf motifs. Great Lakes, possibly French. Collected by English ethnologist Henry Christy and donated to the British Museum by William Burges in 1870.

Nation of Maker: French
Nation of Origin

The GRASAC team thought its style resembled a French-made item.

Summary of Source(s) for this Relative

Created with information from the British Museum accession record and observations made by the GRASAC research team.

Materials

Made of brass with an iron cutting-edge.

Techniques or Format

There is a dove tail joint between the brass and iron at the blade's edge.

Motifs and Patterns

The pipe bowl and tomahawk blade is decorated with engraved floral and leaf motifs.

Other Notes

Possibly made by the French.

Dimensions: 16.1 × 6 × 0 cm
Condition: Poor. There is rusting and the bowl is deteriorated.
Current Location: British Museum, London, UK
Catalogue, Accession or Reference Number: Am.6744
Collection at Current Location: Christy Collection
Date of Acquisition by the Institution: 1870
Who the Institution Acquired the Relative or Heritage Item From: William Burges
Collection Narratives and Histories

The British Museum object catalogue states this item was found on the Thames River.

GKS Reference Number: 25488
How to Cite this Item

Unknown French artist, pipe tomahawk. Currently in the British Museum, Am.6744. Item photographed and described as part of a GRASAC research trip December 2007; GRASAC item id 25488.

Record Creation Context

This record was created as part of a Great Lakes Research Alliance for the Study of Aboriginal Arts and Cultures (GRASAC) research trip to the Pitt Rivers Museum and British Museum, December 8-22 2007, funded by a grant from the International Opportunities fund of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC).

Record Creation Notes/Observations

Researchers present: Heidi Bohaker (HB), John Borrows (JB), Lindsay Borrows (LB), Alan Corbiere (AC), Darlene Johnston (DJ), Henrietta Lidchi (HL), Stacey Loyer (SL), Janis Monture (JM), Bruce Morito (BM), Ruth Phillips (RP), Cory Willmott (CW).

Approximate Place of Origin

45.8, -83.9

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