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Eastern Sioux Council Pipe with Ornate Lead

Currency:USD Category:Art Start Price:2,500.00 USD Estimated At:10,000.00 - 15,000.00 USD
Eastern Sioux Council Pipe with Ornate Lead
<B>Eastern Sioux Council Pipe with Ornate Lead Inlaid Stem and Bowl</B></I><BR>Circa 1865<BR>Length 47 in. overall<BR><BR>This council pipe has a flat and slightly tapering ash wood stem, elaborately decorated along its length with lead inlay in a pattern of acorns and leaves. The catlinite "T" shaped bowl is inlaid with two bands of crosses, their form reminiscent of Christian crosses made by Montreal silversmiths for the Indian trade.<BR>Before the advent of fixed ammunition Indian people needed lead bullets for their muzzle loading firearms. Traders supplied both bullet molds and lead to meet this demand. Lead has a low melting point (621º Fahrenheit) so native people easily mastered the technology. Lead inlay was a common decorative element on pipe bowls. However, there are almost no examples of lead inlay being applied to pipestems. This stem is notable for its unique and lavish inlay.<BR><BR>Provenance<BR>Ralph Olson, Deerfield, Illinois.<BR><BR>