Relics of the American West: 1850-1920 - ONLINE ONLY
Lot 2436:
Description
This impressive mid-century assemblage features a diverse collection of sixteen North American lithic artifacts—including Madison-style triangular arrowheads, notched points, and bifacial scrapers—centered by a rare catlinite (red pipestone) T-shaped pipe with a decorative top finial. The collection is further distinguished by fifteen polished bone awls and two rare carved bone fishhooks. These items are mounted on a red textured vinyl backing typical of 1950s–1970s hobbyist displays, set within an authentic 19th-century Victorian Eastlake-style architectural frame. The frame features characteristic deep-relief “spoon” carvings and a white-washed gesso inlay, likely produced by a prominent Midwestern woodshop in Chicago or Grand Rapids. The catlinite pipe shows a historic repair with a visible glue line and crack through the bowl and stem. One bone awl has detached from the backing but remains included; the frame exhibits expected age-related gesso cracking and slight separation at the mitered corners. H 28″, W 32″, D 2″ Please see photos.
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