Pipe bowl?

[Mrtodd]

Probably not native but I have no clue. Found at the river where I’ve found many artifacts. South Carolina

 

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[Mrtodd]

So cool. That’s an epic find. Was it in the water?

The river was down and it was found in a washout in a gravel bar. I’ve thought about trying digging that area but haven’t.

 

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[joshuaream]

Congrats again on the find, great to see it recognized on the top of the forum!

 

[EccentricInTexas]

Congrats on the find!!!

 

[ANTIQUARIAN]

What an amazing find, congrats on achieving your first BANNER on Tnet too!
My dream is to one day find is an arrowhead in the farm fields.

Dave

 

[narofvod]

I wonder how long it took to make? Very nice!

 

[MAMucker]

Congratulations on the Banner Find!

 

[Mrtodd]

I just want to say, that really appreciate the banner spot. I never see the banner when using the ap. Seeing the piece on the front page of the site, online, is awesome!

I’ve been reading posts for a while and appreciate the info/input that’s out there.
I’d love some more info on the pipe (possible bean pipe?)
If it is out there.
I need to make a display
Thanks again

 

[eyemustdigtreasure]

Thanks all! I don’t even want to clean it...or should I?

DON'T Clean It...!
It is beautiful, the way it is...!
You should continue looking along the river for more stuff, a site may very well have been exposed by high water!

 

[Cal_Cobra]

Congrats on the well deserved banner, what a great find

 

[yakker]

What a stunning thing to find! Good eye- and good on you PLUS-- YAY BANNER!!!!!!!

 

[Huntster54]

It's a plumbing 90o elbow circa 1952 Ace Hardware, isle 3.

No, seriously, at first glance it looks more like a part of a railroad latern or gas/oil connector for an old model tractor or old farm equipment, that is if it's metal.
Can you ascertain what the material is? Sorry didn't read through the whole thread this moment, so I don't know it you answered that yet. Or know.

And yes, don't try to clean it. Maybe just a damp cloth and light brushing. Use a stiff bristle painters brush to clean things like this, not a scrub type brush or toothbrush. A oil paintbrush is just stiff enough to clean crevices without scratching. A toothbrush can actually scratch soft surfaces.
This could be a very nice artifact of early settlers.

I cringe when I see dectectorists trying to wipe dirt off coins they just pulled out. Dirt should be washed off under running water on artifacts.

Great find.

 

[fyrffytr1]

Late to the party but congrats on the great find and the banner. I have never found even a piece of one.

 

[Huntster54]

Found this in a quick search.. seems to be on the right track however.

https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/steatite-pipe,-tennessee,-usa-256-c-3eb439d99e

And this...it's ebay so wouldn't think about the offer, just looking at similar type artifacts. Note the circles.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/NC-AUTHENT...124726?hash=item521acf8076:g:wT8AAOSwi0RbCF0B

Also nice article about artifacts and the art of fakes.

https://www.realorrepro.com/article/Problems-with-American-Indian-Artifacts

Wanted to know what steatite was and it's also known as soapstone, an easily carved heat resistant stone material.

https://geology.com/rocks/soapstone.shtml

Hope this helps someone.

 

[Mrtodd]

Thanks for all the info! Good reads. I have thought it looks like an elbow too! It looks like it had a 1 marked on it.
If any of my stuff is repo, then someone is going through a lot of work and then throwing it in the river/creek! Lol
Again, thank you for all the info

 

[Mrtodd]

What’s the best way to confirm the material?

 

[Huntster54]

That's a really good question. I knew of mineral testing kits that some hobby shops may have. I have a few kits for metals and such. A place that does lapidary could be resource.
I'll check the net when I have time soon as well.

If you are going to take a sample to test, I would only scrape lightly on the inside of the bowl near the bottom. I use a dental teeth cleaning tool that has that little bity blade thing on it for doing testing. Of course the bowl would have ash in it, so you would have to scrape a small spot deep inside the bowl until the rock or material is exposed. I also wouldn't scrape except deep down in the bottom where visible scratches won't show. Obviously the goal would be to remove enough material to do chemical testing away from the artifact itself.

gl.

 

[smokeythecat]

Here's one way of determining the material. First, get a good quality hand magnifying lens. The small triplet lenses work best. Steatite is also called soapstone. It is extremely soft. A fingernail will scratch it. It has a relatively greasy slick feel if you rub your hand over it. It can contain some minerals (tiny ones) in it, especially black specs of chromite. Now, a baked clay pipe has a different feel. It is lighter in weight and more importantly has a rougher feel to it. The greasy slick feel for steatite versus a rougher feel for clay should be diagnostic. The hand lens is a must.

Lastly, some of the early Indians here mined galena - lead. There is a place called the Pequea Silver Mine in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania the Indians worked for the lead which happens to contain silver. They made pipes from them also.

Hope that helps. You have a great piece. DO NOT CLEAN IT.

 

[Lost Signal]

Congrats on the awesome find, and on the banner!

 

[Huntster54]

@smokeythecat Lastly, some of the early Indians here mined galena - lead. There is a place called the Pequea Silver Mine in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania the Indians worked for the lead which happens to contain silver. They made pipes from them also.

Lead, they smoked using lead pipes?
Might explain why so many native indians were always so close to altered states of awareness. One with the Bison and all that.

 

[geo4472]

could be an effigy pipe or Choctaw pipe