Two rare North American Pipes Donated by Baron of Senftenberg
| Pages | 69–98 |
|---|---|
| DOI | 10.37520/anpm.2025.004 |
| Keywords | Baron of Senftenberg, Ioway, Chippewa, catlinite pipe, steatite pipe, quill-plaited pipe stem, perforated pipe stem |
| Type of Article | Materialia |
| Citation | DOLEJŠ, Jan. Two rare North American Pipes Donated by Baron of Senftenberg. Annals of the Náprstek Museum. Prague: National Museum, 2025, 46(1), 69–98. DOI: https://doi.org/10.37520/anpm.2025.004. ISSN 0231-844X (print), 2533-5685 (online). Also available from: https://publikace.nm.cz/en/periodicals/annals-of-the-naprstek-museum/46-1/two-rare-north-american-pipes-donated-by-baron-of-senftenberg |
This study examines two rare indigenous North American pipes from the Náprstek Museum in Prague, donated by the Baron of Senftenberg prior to 1862. The first, pipe NpM Inv. No. 21.168, is a flat-stemmed, quill-decorated catlinite pipe attributed to the Ioway or Chiwere-speaking tribes and likely dates to around 1820. The other, pipe NpM Inv. No. 21.134, a finely carved steatite bowl with a cut-out wooden stem, is attributed to the south-western Chippewa and likely made before 1850. Both pieces are significant for their exceptional craftsmanship, rarity, and potential to shed light on early regional and tribal pipe styles, which remain poorly documented. The study employs comparative visual analysis to identify stylistic and iconographic features typical of eastern Prairie and western Woodland cultures. Due to the lack of collection data, attribution is cautious and based on parallels with documented specimens in major museum collections. The pipes likely served secular or social functions, though they may have held some symbolic meaning. As examples of early 19th-century indigenous artistry, they enrich our understanding of pre-reservation material culture in the American Midwest.
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