War Club Pipe

CultureEastern Plains, possibly Dakota (Eastern Sioux), Minnesota

Dateca. 1840

MediumWood, lead, iron blade, metallic military braid, brass tacks, bells and cones, pigment, native tanned leather, porcupine quills, feathers, commercial string, metal thimbles, and silk ribbon

DimensionsOverall: 18 7/16 × 24 1/8 × 1 5/8 inches (46.83 × 61.28 × 4.13 cm)

Credit LineGift of John and Marva Warnock

Object number2018.29

On View

On view

Gallery Location

Collections

North American Indian Art

Terms

DescriptionClassic carved gunstock club terminating on one end in the form of an eagle's head with a finely serrated iron blade inserted where the upper and lower sections meet. Incised lines and images on both sides of the club. Object has suspensions of cut feathers, quill wrapped thongs, brass bells, thimbles, silk ribbons and brass cones.Gallery Label

Gallery Label

War clubs are among the most significant sculptural expressions of the Woodlands and Eastern Plains people. Carved by men, the finest examples are distinguished by the artists’ sensitive handling of proportion and balance. Because of their sacred associations and effectiveness in hand-tohand fighting, clubs maintained their value even after firearms appeared. Although conceived as sculptural works, clubs are foremost skillfully designed, finely balanced weapons. This rare bird effigy club is also a functional pipe, with the lead-lined tobacco bowl located just behind the iron blade and the lead mouthpiece at the end of the handle.

Provenance

John and Marva Warnock, Los Altos, CA;

Their gift to The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City, MO, 2018.

Published References

Torrence, Gaylord, ed. Continuum: North American Native Art at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. Kansas City: Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art.

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