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C.1890 Sioux Cutout Puzzle Stem & Inlaid Pipe Bowl

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles Start Price:1,000.00 USD Estimated At:2,500.00 - 3,500.00 USD
C.1890 Sioux Cutout Puzzle Stem & Inlaid Pipe Bowl
This is a phenomenal Sioux circa 1890 beaded puzzle cut out beaded pipe stem and pewter inlaid “T” pipe from the Lutheran Reverend Ernest Von Kronwitter collection. The pipe comes with a signed letter with the provenance and was acquired in 2019 from Gilbert Cooper. Provenance: Ex-Lutheran Reverend Ernest Von Kronwitter. Collected by Lutheran Reverend Ernest Von Kronwitter in early-1900 when he was in the U.S. doing missionary work in the Dakotas and other Indian Reservations. He collected the items and took them back to Germany before World War I (WWI) broke out in 1914. Ex-Gilbert Cooper collection.

The piece shows a carved wood stem with a puzzle or cut out pattern showing four crudely long rectangular cutouts at the pipe connection side. The front of the pipe is wrapped in parfleche rawhide and further adorned with trade thread sewn geometric beadwork done in classic Sioux pattern using period late-19th-century glass trade seed beads. The colors are in greasy blue, chalk white, greasy yellow, cobalt, red white heart and greasy light blue. The middle of the pipe shows a layer of yellow ocher / ochre dyed horse tail hair that wraps around the entire stem. The note marks the “T” pipe bowl as being circa 1900-1920’s. The bowl is carved from catlinite pipestone with a square faceted inlet, round body and tapering front with elliptical end. The bowl is cylindrical and tall with dark signs of being smoked. There are geometric bands of pewter lead inlaid in three places on the pipe. The pipe has a rich red to speckled pink coloring and is well kept. The stem shows several rows of brass covered metal tacks, that are likely later. The stem measures overall 26.75-inches long by 2.25-inches wide. The bowl is 6.75-inches long by 4-inches high by 1-inches deep. The pipe bowl and stem together is 32.75-inches long overall. There is some white paint that dripped on the stem over the years, as noted by the note. This piece is well kept with little bead loss and nice patina.