Nice find this week!

[bonedoctor]

I was digging up one thing and happened to stumble across this! Pretty cool! Any experts know anything based on shape? It’s definitely Catlinite.

 

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[unclemac]

sure it could be but the OP has to consider...where it was found, how it was found, the situation it was found in, what the soil was like (lose, dug, packed etc.), all sorts of considerations not to mention, material, patina, style and type.

a catlinite pipe is always going to be VERY suspicious but if all the check marks are hit for the OP, he can be pretty sure of its authenticity.

 

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[IMAUDIGGER]

Documenting the depth..then carefully excavating that layer of material might be useful for determining the age.
Perhaps some other identifiable artifacts will be found that can help establish an estimated date range.

 

[ArfieBoy]

Wow, that pipe cleaned up beautifully! Thanks for sharing.

 

[bonedoctor]

Pardon my ignorance but how do you know it is not modern?

I didn’t want to give up too much information. But, my property was home to Indian tribes. It’s documented and I’ve found several Indian items here. The civil war stuff is more shallow that the Indian stuff. That helps some. Also, we were probing for a privy in a spot that looked questionable. Hit something crunchy and it ended up being a buffalo femur. The buffalo were killed off 160 years ago. This pipe was literally 6” left of the femur.

I’m guessing that with the other items found and the depth, and the documented history, it’s legit.

My kids were actually there with me and were filming. It will be a great family item to pass down and remember!

 

[bonedoctor]

Some other items if found in the same acre or so:

 

[A2coins]

Banner that's a sweet pipe cant believe it's in such good condition display that bad boy wow. Well done

 

[quito]

I'm not sure if it was this forum or another defunct one, but a collector who used to post found a couple of those on a late Prehistoric site. (Dan Fox if I remember correctly, wrote a book on plains artifacts.)

I think that plump L style is found mostly in Nebraska and Kansas.

I have two copies of that books. Artifacts of the central great plains if i remember correctly. Dan and I hung out a while and did a quick hunt here a number of years ago when he was here for a wedding. Interesting guy, he has found a lot of great stuff in the past.

 

[Tnmountains]

I would think it must be real then given location and depth. Be nice to see a pipe float across the banner if everything checks out. Lots of experts on here with sound opinions.
HH

 

[Sidevalve45]

Pipestone or catlinite.

 

[bonedoctor]

It is a correct pipe style for the region it was found in. As was previously stated it is Late Prehistoric in age. There are two similar pipes plus a preform in this image. These two pipes are currently in in a well-known Oklahoma collection.

Thanks for posting that! When you say late prehistoric age, how old could this be? What is a value on a pipe like this? Obviously, it will never be sold.

 

[GaRebel1861]

That’s one heck of a find! Congratulations.

 

[welsbury]

That is a beauty and thanks for extra pics. Is there a layer in ground where you found bone and pipe?

 

[bonedoctor]

That is a beauty and thanks for extra pics. Is there a layer in ground where you found bone and pipe?

Yes. The flakes, the bison femur, and the pipe were exactly the same level, about 1’ down, which is lower than the mid 1800s stuff I’ve found. I know things sort of float depending on their density, but I think this was buried before that. There is a very hard clay layer at 3’, and a probe won’t penetrate it. Looking into ground penetrating radar. Begging my wife ��

 

[welsbury]

Yes. The flakes, the bison femur, and the pipe were exactly the same level, about 1’ down, which is lower than the mid 1800s stuff I’ve found. I know things sort of float depending on their density, but I think this was buried before that. There is a very hard clay layer at 3’, and a probe won’t penetrate it. Looking into ground penetrating radar. Begging my wife ��

Might have to dig a bigger outhouse hole

 

[dognose]

Thats an amazing find, congrats.

 

[GaRebel1861]

Congratulations on making the banner! What an outstanding find.

 

[smokeythecat]

Totally awesome! How did I miss this the other day?

 

[bravowhiskey]

alright! looked this AM and thar she be. pipe flying on the banner. big time congrats bonedoctor.

 

[sandchip]

Totally awesome! How did I miss this the other day?

Exactly what I was thinking. Somehow, I missed it altogether. Big ol' congrats on that banner!

 

[ecmo]

Congrats on the very nice pipe, never seen one that shape before and congratulations on the banner. In the photo of the display case of other finds in the area is that a gold coin at bottom center? Detail was somewhat blurry.