The collection of Marvin L Lince propelled Cowan's to a $1.2m auction of Indian and Western Art on April 5, led by a three-bladed knife club from the tribes of the Eastern Plains.
 The Lince Collection began in the 1980s and became renowned for its quality and rarity |
The club saw a final bid of $180,000, as the top lot of the sale. Marvin L Lince began his collection in the late 1980s, initially focusing on historical firearms before turning to American Indian weaponry.
The collection formed just part of the sale, realising a total of $670,000.
"The Eastern Plains Three-Bladed Knife Club is one example of Marvin Lince's discerning eye for the art in weaponry," commented the auction house's Danica Farnand.
"This piece was the top seller in the auction and may be the finest example known."
 The Metis are one of the aboriginal tribes of Canada, tracing their descent to mixed First Nations and European heritage |
More of the collection's highlights included a Metis quilled hide knife sheath with dag knife, which realised $90,000, and a Central Plains bear claw necklace that saw fierce competition between two bidders before selling for $60,000.
Weaponry was the main draw of the auction, with an Eastern Sioux painted and tacked gunstock club selling for $60,000. Cheyenne artefacts were particularly popular, with a pictorial pipe tomahawk making $40,800, alongside a beaded buffalo hide cradle at $48,000, and a dog soldier mirror board attributed to Big Crow that sold for $30,000.
Paul Fraser Collectibles has an authentic strand of hair from the head of Apache leader Geronimo, which provides an intimate and affordable addition to any Native American collection.
