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Exhibition History"Art Des Indiens D'Amerique Du Nord Dans La Collection D'Eugene Thaw," Mona Bismarck Foundation, Paris, France, Somogy Editions D'Art, January 21, 2000 - March 18, 2000.
"Treasures from the Thaw Collection," Wheelwright Museum of American Indian Art. Santa Fe, NM, May 1, 2000 - December 31, 2000.
ProvenanceGeorge Terasaki, New York City; Sotheby's New York City, 1990, lot 219; Gary Spratt, Rutherford, California; Morning Star Gallery, Santa Fe, New Mexico
BibliographySotheby's. September 25, 1990, Sale #6061, lot 219.
Vincent, Gilbert T. Masterpieces of American Indian Art. New York: Harry Abrams, 1995, p.33.
Vincent, Gilbert et al. Art of the North American Indians: The Thaw Collection. Cooperstown, New York: Fenimore Art Museum, 2000, p.106.
Perriot, Francoise, and Slim Batteux, trans. Arts des Indiens d'Amerique du Nord: Dans la Collection d'Eugene et Clare Thaw. Paris: Somogy editions, 1999, p. 48, fig. 34.
Fognell, Eva and Alexander Brier Marr, eds. Art of the North American Indians: The Thaw Collection at the Fenimore Art Museum, 2nd ed. Cooperstown, New York: Fenimore Art Museum, 2016, p. 115.
Culture
Dakota (Santee Sioux)
Ball-headed Club
Date1815 ca.
MediumWood
DimensionsOverall: 20 1/2 × 3 1/2 × 3 1/2 in. (52.1 × 8.9 × 8.9 cm)
Object numberT0054
Credit LineGift of Eugene V. and Clare E. Thaw
Photograph by Richard Walker
Label TextBall-headed warclubs of this general shape were fairly common throughout the Eastern Woodlands and as far west as the Missouri River. Many of these clubs have the effigy of a longtailed animal carved over the ball, facing the enemy. Sometimes identified as an otter or weasel, this effigy actually represents the dragon-like ruler of the Underworld. On many warclubs this figure is reduced to a highly abstract form, often representing only some of its major features. The most peculiar scalloped carving around the ball of this warclub seems to be a unique example of such an abstract reference to the Underworld dragon. Most probably this carving represents the spiky ridge along the dragon's back. Scalloped edge carving, though in a more conventional style, was fairly common south of the Great Lakes. (c.f. Penney 1992, p.229; Batkin 1995, p.63; Brasser 1976, fig.35, Feder 1971, fig.128) The shaft of the handle has been perforated by a cut-out slit terminating at both ends in circular holes. This type of cut-out, the hole above the handle, and the slanting butt are typical for war clubs from the Minnesota region in the early decades of the nineteenth century and cut-out slits between two holes seem to predominate on war clubs and flat pipe-stems of the Sioux or Dakota. (From the Catalog of the Thaw Collection of American Indian Art, 2nd ed.)Exhibition History"Art Des Indiens D'Amerique Du Nord Dans La Collection D'Eugene Thaw," Mona Bismarck Foundation, Paris, France, Somogy Editions D'Art, January 21, 2000 - March 18, 2000.
"Treasures from the Thaw Collection," Wheelwright Museum of American Indian Art. Santa Fe, NM, May 1, 2000 - December 31, 2000.
ProvenanceGeorge Terasaki, New York City; Sotheby's New York City, 1990, lot 219; Gary Spratt, Rutherford, California; Morning Star Gallery, Santa Fe, New Mexico
BibliographySotheby's. September 25, 1990, Sale #6061, lot 219.
Vincent, Gilbert T. Masterpieces of American Indian Art. New York: Harry Abrams, 1995, p.33.
Vincent, Gilbert et al. Art of the North American Indians: The Thaw Collection. Cooperstown, New York: Fenimore Art Museum, 2000, p.106.
Perriot, Francoise, and Slim Batteux, trans. Arts des Indiens d'Amerique du Nord: Dans la Collection d'Eugene et Clare Thaw. Paris: Somogy editions, 1999, p. 48, fig. 34.
Fognell, Eva and Alexander Brier Marr, eds. Art of the North American Indians: The Thaw Collection at the Fenimore Art Museum, 2nd ed. Cooperstown, New York: Fenimore Art Museum, 2016, p. 115.
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