Base Metal Trade Pipe

[Acejeckel]

Rare 17th Century Base Metal Trade Pipe

Hello everyone hope all is well, its been sometime since I had a find worth sharing with you all. I been waiting for the crops to come down here in Michigan and the field I have been waiting to get on gave me a find I'll probably never top.

I got out detecting this afternoon and started covering the field not getting any signals I finally came across a fired musket ball, and a piece of pottery on the surface and after 3 hours of nothing I was headed back to the truck and got a solid 25 VDI on the Equinox 800 out pops a pipe. At first I was like wow a lead pipe? Then I was like no it has to be pewter.

When I got home I started researching the pipe and all I came up with is its possibly from the 1600's and they are vary rare. I only found one book on them and there are only 150 known to exist. I found where they call them Base metal Trade Pipes.

If any of you have anymore information about the pipe please inform me would love to know more.

 

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[ToddsPoint]

I've seen loads of clay pipes like that but never one of metal. Neat find. Looks cold up there with those gloves on. Gary

 

[CRUSADER]

I've seen loads of clay pipes like that but never one of metal. Neat find. Looks cold up there with those gloves on. Gary

I've only had one very similar, never researched its age though, but must be pretty rare.

 

[dognose]

A very interesting find.

I think it could be made of pewter. Just a guess though.

Could it be a homemade pipe, not from a factory?

I dont see any seam lines visible, how do you think it was made?

Its interesting that is very outside the norm for a pipe material. Interestingly enough, in my area of the midwest I have came across a number of old mid-1800s cemetery grave stones made of metal, that does not rust, but I dont think is copper. Those are out of the ordinary material also.

 

[Jeff H]

Now that is a cool find! Congrats.

 

[Wildcat1750]

Very interesting find and the first one I've ever seen...

 

[Acejeckel]

So I reached out to a archaeologist here in Michigan that works for the state and gave her the details and some pictures still waiting to seen what she has to say.

The only thing I can find on the pipe is a write up called "Base Metal Trade Pipes Of The Northeastern Indians".

When I hear something back I'll be sure to post it on here so you all can see what she has to say.

 

[CRUSADER]

So I reached out to a archaeologist here in Michigan that works for the state and gave her the details and some pictures still waiting to seen what she has to say.

The only thing I can find on the pipe is a write up called "Base Metal Trade Pipes Of The Northeastern Indians".

When I hear something back I'll be sure to post it on here so you all can see what she has to say.

The one I found was similar to this & although I didn't research it until now, I also thought it might be 19th C because of bowl size & the strange pot metal it was made from. Kind of lead/pewter looking but not, a strange cheap metal. Mine was similar to these examples they IDed as broadly 19th C:
https://finds.org.uk/database/artefacts/record/id/566761
https://finds.org.uk/database/artefacts/record/id/151264
The above was the only 2 metal examples I could find recorded. (however its rare for the PAS to record things that are not more than 300 years old)

 

[Ia.FurTrade]

A very interesting find.

I think it could be made of pewter. Just a guess though.

Could it be a homemade pipe, not from a factory?








I dont see any seam lines visible, how do you think it was made?

Its interesting that is very outside the norm for a pipe material. Interestingly enough, in my area of the midwest I have came across a number of old mid-1800s cemetery grave stones made of metal, that does not rust, but I dont think is copper. Those are out of the ordinary material also.

Those 1880-1900 gravestones were commonly called "white bronze", and lasted for so long because they were 99% pure zinc!
I don't know for sure, but would guess the Trade Pipe is cast pewter.

Iowa Dale

Superb find!!!