Description:

Native American, Northwestern United States / Canada, Alaskan Athabascans culture, ca. 19th to early 20th century CE. A knife made from a single piece of steel, featuring a thick double-edged blade and a slender tang wrapped in rawhide to form the grip, terminating in a voluted pommel. The large blade is housed in a stiff moose or deer hide sheath, pocket-sewn with sinew stitching. Traditionally, prior to European contact, Athabaskan and other Indigenous groups in the region crafted such knives from native copper sources. The use of forged steel in this example indicates it was likely made after sustained contact with European or Euro-American traders, likely in the 19th century. Knives like this example were able to be carried as personal hand weapons as well as utilitarian tools or could be bound to the end of a pole for use as a makeshift spear blade. Size in sheath: 18" L x 4" W (45.7 cm x 10.2 cm); blade only: 10" L x 2" W (25.4 cm x 5.1 cm)

Provenance: private El Dorado Hills, California, USA collection

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#194138

  • Condition: Some pitting to the steel surface, but intact and overall excellent. Dark patina and toning.

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July 25, 2025 8:00 AM MDT
Louisville, CO, US

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $299 $25
$300 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
$200,000 + $20,000