Club head?

[badger51]

Thoughts on this item appreciated

[Kentucky point]

I am not sure what to say about that...I have never seen anything like it. How was it acquired?

[badger51]

Got it at Bennetts auction. It was listed as a club

[OnewiththewilD]

It’s not a club, that’s for sure. It kinda has a modern look to me, especially the discolored grooves and the perfect hole drilled into it

[SDhunter]

I’m wondering too. This is a bit odd

[Tam]

I don’t want to be a buzz kill but it’s in such great shape you wonder .
Net weight and yes I have seen bola stones that look like that . You will have to goggle my phone is a pest now .
Bola stones are not all the perfect egg shape they can be like your piece . If you found it yourself I would be clapping .

[clovisoid]

It looks like the stone from one of the rawhide wrapped clubs from the plains. Many of them were made during late reservation periods when the baby boomer generation took long road trips for vacations. Likely not that old, but probably not new.

The groove helped the seam in the leather stay put, the pencil hole fit the end of the club. They were flexible when new, but as they got old and dried out they would snap when someone swung them in show and tell.

[pkfrey]

Yep, Clovisoid got it! It looks like claystone or pipestone. All pecked to shape. The groove where the leather binding was protected from the elements and didn't discolor. Being such a small hole, this may have been on a club used for ceremonies, or to dispatch injured small game.. This one would probably date between 1890 - 1910. Without the handle, it wouldn't be known if this was attached to a ceremonial club used in dances, or an actual club used in a battle. There weren't many battles going on after about 1880, so this may have been on a highly beaded handle with a very decorative drop, like horse hair.

[Tam]

Very interesting and that would explain the shape it’s in .