Well hello Fellow Seekers, today we are going to look at a Masterpiece of Native American art. This one comes out of the archives. I sold it to Gene Thaw many years ago, and it is currently in the collection of The New York Historical Association in Cooperstown, N.Y.

My God what a carving! It is probably Lakota, carved from Catlinite which is a sort of clay/silt stone found in Minnesota, and dates to the late 19th century. Sioux people were carving horse effigy pipe bowls at least as early as the mid-19th century as tourist souvenirs for Euro-American consumers who traveled up the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers.

Now this is a Magical Horse running at a full out, flying gallop. It is also a masterpiece of sculpture from any culture, in any time period. I know of at least two other horse pipes by this same carver. One is illustrated on page 69, figure 40 of John Ewer’s book, "Plains Indian Sculpture." In terms of world class sculpture, Native American sculpture is still amazingly affordable. Seek Out! See you down the Trail. - Lonesome

Dig It - 6/24/24