Lot 84A

Mississippian Ohio Carved Stone Bird Effigy Pipe - Waterfowl Form

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Lot 84
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Mississippian Ohio Carved Stone Bird Effigy Pipe - Waterfowl Form
Mississippian Ohio Carved Stone Bird Effigy Pipe - Waterfowl Form
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Mississippian Ohio Carved Stone Bird Effigy Pipe - Waterfowl Form

Estimate: $1,000 - $1,500

Starting Bid: $500

(0 Bids)
by Artemis Fine Arts
June 25, 2026 9:00 AM MDT (In Progress)
Live Auction
686 S. Taylor Avenue
Suite 108
Louisville, CO, US 80027

Native American, Mississippian culture, ca. 1000–1500 CE. A compact bird effigy emerges from dark, hand-worked stone, its rounded head and short beak suggesting a duck or other waterfowl perched at attention. The maker exploited the natural mass of the stone, smoothing the swelling body into a tapering, teardrop form polished by long handling. Drilled perforations at the base and along the body served the pipe's function, channeling smoke through a tool that was likely as ceremonial as it was practical. Avian imagery carried potent meaning across the Eastern Woodlands, where birds mediated between earth, water, and sky, and their forms recur in effigy pipes, gorgets, and shell work. Held in the palm, the piece rewards touch: a small sculptural meditation on a creature that moved freely between worlds. Size: 1" W x 3.5" H x 1.6" D (2.5 cm W x 8.9 cm H x 4.1 cm D); on included custom stand: 4" H (10.2 cm H).

Bird effigy pipes occupy a significant place in the material culture of the Eastern Woodlands and the broader Mississippian tradition. Waterfowl in particular held layered symbolism: capable of swimming, walking, and flying, they were seen as creatures able to traverse the cosmic layers of an ordered universe, making them apt subjects for objects tied to ritual smoking and communal gathering. The provenance ticket records this piece as attributed to southwestern Ohio, a region rich in earlier Adena and Hopewell pipe traditions whose conventions of compact, naturalistic effigy carving carried forward into later periods.

Please note this item may fall under the Safeguard Tribal Objects of Patrimony Act and may not be eligible for international shipping. Native American, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian objects are only eligible to ship within the United States.

Provenance: private Colorado, USA Collection; ex-private Denver, Colorado, USA collection; ex-private Flushing, New York and Ridgeway, Colorado, USA collection, acquired in April 2019 via private seller

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Item # 203079

  • Condition: Excellent. Some light surface wear, but, otherwise, intact and excellent.

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $299 $25
$300 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
$200,000 + $20,000