May 17th 2014 Primitive American Artifacts Sale (12)
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 5/16/2014
Woodland 3500 - 2500 B.P. Found near Montpeiler, Williams County, Ohio. This fantastic porphyry masterpiece was included in Earl C. Townsend’s 1959 book “Birdstones of the North American Indian”, pages 580, 581, plate 238. Earl had this to say... “Dark gray porphyry with pale green phenocrysts. One eye is restored. The original eye is of the button type. Here again the beak is pointed upward. Note the sharply defined outline delineated by the expert stone maker who fashioned this specimen. Collected in 1908 by Joseph Ringeisen, Jr., of Milwaukee. Catalog No.346" The “sharply defined outline” Earl made reference to was probably directed to the rare “cut throat” feature so prominently sculpted into the throat area of this special bird. One eye missing and professionally restored.
Item Dimensions: L. 3 - 1/2" x W. 1 - 1/2" x H. 1 -3/4".