19th C. Cherokee Steatite Effigy Pipe with Seated Bird

Native American, Cherokee. A dark steatite effigy pipe, carved in one piece with its bowl and a small seated bird rising together from a long, low base. The bowl is a thick-walled barrel with a heavy rolled lip. The bird sits at the stem end with its wings folded tight against its body. Rather than looking toward the bowl, it faces outward toward the smoker, so whoever held the pipe met its gaze with every draw. A few vertical ridges run down the back of its rounded head. These may stand for a crest or for feathers lying flat. Years of handling have polished the soft stone to a deep brown-black sheen, with warmer tones showing through at the high points. The bird's species and its exact meaning are uncertain. It was perhaps a clan or spirit emblem rather than simple ornament. Steatite (soapstone) was the preferred pipe stone in the southern Appalachian homeland of the Cherokee. It is soft enough to carve with simple tools, holds fine detail, and stands up to heat. Effigy pipes with animals or birds facing the smoker belong to a long Southeastern and Eastern Woodlands tradition. Placing the figure this way puts the smoker face to face with the creature carved on the pipe. In the 19th century, Cherokee carvers in North Carolina and, after Removal, in Indian Territory kept making effigy pipes, both for use within the community and, later in the century, for outside collectors. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids. Item # 205945

Estimate:£300.61

View all items fromArtemis Fine ArtsorAsian Art