This is just gettin' crazier!!
#1 I think he was just being sarcastic with the "bought in Mexico" statement
I must have missed something in translation then.
#2 Grim: Do you think it is possible that there are a few "finds" out there that never make it into publications??
Sure, it's possible. But a find of this magnitude in my county with it's wealth of collectors for many many years I would think it would have been pictured and maybe it has and I've just never seen it. The only Scioto county collector that may have found this or owned this would most likely be Charlie Wertz. He was a developer in the late 1800's and early 1900's here is Portsmouth which had a large Hopewell Mound Complex and his crew would go through and level a mound, excavating all the artifacts from it and then build houses. His collection was astounding. His son Bill and the Bills wife Madeline became subsequent owners of the collection and while in Madeline's possession after Bill's death a lot of it was pilfered from her because she was senile. The man that basically stole the collection was caught and prosecuted and served time but a lot of the collection was never found.
#3 I can't for the life of me tell the difference between a fake or an authentic piece (unless it's a really bad fake), from photographs. I do know one buyer that told me, he's been duped before, even after close examination with a loop. It can happen to anyone....
I never said the Pipe was bad. It actually looks good to me from the pictures he provided. I would need to see inside the Bowl and Stem Hole to say for sure. It's just odd I've never seen or heard of this Pipe from my home county.
#4 JMHO
And I thank you for your honest opinion. I give mine all the time and catch a lot flack for it at times. lol