Birdstone

[Esme]

I have a birdstone that was found by my great grandfather while farming his fields in the 1930's. I've been told that even though it was found in NY, that it might be from Ohio. Any information would be great... value etc. It has cross hatching and pop eyes.

 

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[tamrock]

That's sure a special heirloom to be handed down. I couldn't tell you of it's true origin.

 

[Esme]

That's sure a special heirloom to be handed down. I couldn't tell you of it's true origin.

Thank you!

 

[Older The Better]

That’s awesome do the two holes connect?

 

[CreekSide]

If it’s authentic it’s rarer than hen’s teeth and worth hanging onto. Thanks for sharing it

 

[Esme]

That’s awesome do the two holes connect?

They do not connect. They go through the bottom and then out their respective side.

 

[Esme]

If it’s authentic it’s rarer than hen’s teeth and worth hanging onto. Thanks for sharing it

That is awesome! How would I find out a value? It is special to me, I'll hold onto it. I'm just curious to know more about it.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Any chance of getting better pictures with better light or natural light, the artificial light has bad shadows, makes it hard to examine like it was a table lamp. Nothing jumps out as signs of not being authentic, but the lighting is really bad, can't see the holes clearly...
Thanks.

 

[Esme]

Any chance of getting better pictures with better light or natural light, the artificial light has bad shadows, makes it hard to examine like it was a table lamp. Nothing jumps out as signs of not being authentic, but the lighting is really bad, can't see the holes clearly...
Thanks.

I'll post some pictures taken outdoors shortly. It's a little cloudy and not that bright right now.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

I'll post some pictures taken outdoors shortly. It's a little cloudy and not that bright right now.

Need good lighting, doesn't have to be outside if you have light with daylight bulb or LED natural light. Good light allows you to see inside the holes . Your pictures are good pictures, in focus, it's just horrible lighting.

 

[ToddsPoint]

These things have always been called “bird stones”. After seeing this pic below, I’ve often wondered if they are not deer instead. Birds don’t have ears! A deer running with its tail up?? This pic is the only one I’ve ever seen with ears though.

Here are a few more. All of them have a tail, unlike the OPs stone. Unusual too is OPs isn’t banded slate. It looks like slate but with no bands.

 

[Bucket Lister]

These things have always been called “bird stones”. After seeing this pic below, I’ve often wondered if they are not deer instead. Birds don’t have ears! A deer running with its tail up?? This pic is the only one I’ve ever seen with ears though.View attachment 2167894

Are they ears? From other pics, I think they may be eyes. 👀

 

[Bucket Lister]

I would try contacting one or more of these:
I'd include better (lit) pics if possible, along with any other information (location of farm in NYS, etc.)

Peabody Museum

peabody.harvard.edu

Heard Museum | Celebrating Indigenous Creativity

Explore 12 galleries of American Indian art, contemporary and historic, and a world-class museum shop and café. Visit today!

heard.org

Visit New York, NY | National Museum of the American Indian

The NMAI fosters a richer shared human experience through a more informed understanding of Native peoples.

americanindian.si.edu

 

[Esme]

Any chance of getting better pictures with better light or natural light, the artificial light has bad shadows, makes it hard to examine like it was a table lamp. Nothing jumps out as signs of not being authentic, but the lighting is really bad, can't see the holes clearly...
Thanks.

 

[Esme]

I couldn't figure out how to add these updated pics at the top of the post.

 

[newnan man]

Nice. What's the story with it?

 

[Esme]

Nice. What's the story with it?

It was found by my great grandfather while he was working his fields in the 1930's in central NY.

 

[Bucket Lister]

It was found by my great grandfather while he was working his fields in the 1930's in central NY.

That makes sense.

Bird stones were probably not invested with ritual or ceremonial significance, for they are typically found not in burial mounds but dispersed in fields.
....
Most bird stones have been found in New York, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Ontario, but others have been discovered in places as far from the Northeast as Georgia, Mississippi, and South Dakota.

Bird stone | Native American, Carved Stone, Ceremonial | Britannica

Bird stone, abstract stone carving, one of the most striking artifacts left by the prehistoric North American Indians who inhabited the area east of the Mississippi River in the United States and parts of eastern Canada. The stones resemble birds and rarely exceed 6 inches (15 cm) in length. The

www.britannica.com

Central NYS encompasses a lot of real estate.
Pinning down the location may provide more clues/information if/when you contact the museums.

 

[Esme]

That makes sense.

Bird stone | Native American, Carved Stone, Ceremonial | Britannica

Bird stone, abstract stone carving, one of the most striking artifacts left by the prehistoric North American Indians who inhabited the area east of the Mississippi River in the United States and parts of eastern Canada. The stones resemble birds and rarely exceed 6 inches (15 cm) in length. The

www.britannica.com

Central NYS encompasses a lot of real estate.
Pinning down the location may provide more clues/information if/when you contact the museums.
View attachment 2167930

I also love that it has a mouth. It seems more detailed than a lot of birdstones.

 

[CreekSide]

These things have always been called “bird stones”. After seeing this pic below, I’ve often wondered if they are not deer instead. Birds don’t have ears! A deer running with its tail up?? This pic is the only one I’ve ever seen with ears though.View attachment 2167894

Here are a few more. All of them have a tail, unlike the OPs stone. Unusual too is OPs isn’t banded slate. It looks like slate but with no bands.View attachment 2167896

I believe his is cannel coal and not slate