Carl very nicely done as always and I really like that head too.
Dan - there is lots of period documented evidence to show that large quantities of pipe hawks were in fact made by smith's here in the Americas and not imported from England, but you'll have to do the research since I'm not about to type it all up - one major researcher (Richard Pohrt - see Native American Weapons by Colin Taylor for reference) states that few if any pipehawks were built in England. Based on the period records they were apparently a uniquely American/Canadian made item rather than an imported trade item. HBC and other fur trade Company import records of the period tabulate hatchets and axes of various types in large quantites, but pipe hawks only show up infrequently. The L & C pipehawks, both those taken for trade as well as those carried by the men, were made for the expedition at Harper's Ferry.
As to markings on pipe hawk heads of any source they are few and far between except in the case of high end pieces such as the Angstadt pipe hawk. In fact the lack of marked heads of pipehawks is one one indication that they were not imported since almost all other imported goods such as knives and regular axes were maker marked (gun locks are another matter altogether). Joseph Jourdain, of Green Bay, Wi, is another well documented smith of pipe hawks
http://content.wisconsinhistory.org/cdm4/item_viewer.php?CISOROOT=/wda&CISOPTR=2188&CISOBOX=1&REC=5Heck even Jake and Sam Hawken were making Indian and battle axes in quantity for the Choteau's during the 1820's (1823, 1824, and 1826 specifically) and the Choteau's were the major source of imported goods in St Louis so it is highly doubtful they would be buying imported goods from the Hawkens...........
Just some of the references for axes, hatchets, and pipe hawks I have on file:
Baldwin, John, Tomahawks & Pipe Axes of the American
Hanson, Charles E. Jr., The Plains Rifle and The Hawken Rifle: It's Place in History
Hartzler, Daniel D. and Knowles, James A., Indian Tomahawks & Frontiersman Belt Axes
Hothem, Lar, North American Indian Artifacts
Johnston, James R., Accouterments, Vol. II, Golden Age Arms Co.
Peterson, Harold L. American Indian Tomahawks
Russell, Carl P. Firearms, Traps and Tools of the Mountain Men
Taylor, Collin F., Native American Weapons
