Woodlands Slate Pipe with Bird Imagery

Item: 923

Origin: Scioto Country, Ohio –  Woodland culture
Date: Likely prehistoric

Media: Slate stone

Dimensions: 4- 1/8″ long, 2 – 1/8″ tall, 2 – 1/8″ wide

Description: This pipe is very dense and hard, feeling almost like hematite.  The front has a beaked bird’s head coming out of the body or bowl of the pipe with the bowl looking like the breast of a bird. There are three indents, one on each side and one on the bottom.  These indents fit the finger well. I assume, from the heavy weight of the pipe as well as the presence of these indents, that this pipe was smoked with a short stem.  The wear and patina to the surface is beautiful with imperfections expected with a hand carved stone like this.

Provenance: Ex. August T. Wehrle #4097W, then to the Thorne collection then to Rick Nilsson.

Price: 3200