Inherited Several Artifacts from Grandfather

[Smitty85]

Hello, first post on the site, new member. I purchased the large arrowhead book a few months back. My grandparents passed away in 1999, my father just passed away this past October. Since I was a little kid I remember my grandparents showing us grandkids from time to time certain Native American Artifacts. My Grandfather was an Operating Engineer digging and creating the NYS Thruway System in the 1950s from the Erie, PA line north to Buffalo and Eastward...as well as digging the foundation of the Buffalo Bills Football Stadium in early 1970s. Story is he brought a lot of items home he found while working and some my grandmother didn't agree with. Boxes and boxes of arrowheads created into displays and some into artwork, beads, pipes, hatchet and other items. These items have been moved from closet to closet in my family for the last 70 or so years and now I have them. I would like to get these items valued for one but believe they deserve to be out in the open rather than stowed away in a closet for the next 70 years. The item I am most intrigued by is the hatchet/axe. It absolutely looks authentic and not like any type of reproduction. My grandfather's brother would create a lot of cool items like bone envelope openers and such but the story with this item is that it is real. It is worn, used but in fantastic shape. The leather strapping appears very old as well as the bead type and the staining on the stone and leather is interesting. I would like to get some direction as to where I can get some feedback of what I may or may not have here. I appreciate your time for reading this and whatever help you may provide. Thank You!

[Hal Gorges]

Welcome from west central Florida ..So glad the collection has been passed down to you ...Yes, these artifacts need to be shown and talked about..There are so many resources nowadays...Your fortunate

[Hoss]

Welcome to the forum. Nice club. Probably made by Indians for tourist trade. It could be around 100 to 120 years old. I say this because of the condition of the feather and horse hair.

[Benji]

Welcome to the forum Smitty....nice bio and look forward to seeing other artifacts you have found and/or acquired, that u care to share.....i cant speak to the club u have shared thus far as my knowledge is limited, but Hoss is more than likely spot on with his assessment.....a lot of knowledgeable folks on here, so if u are interested in learning more abt your collection, by all means feel free to post away.....im located in middle Tennessee and good to have u on board....

[sailorjoe]

Welcome to our forum from Alabama. I agree with the assessment given by Hoss on the club. When I was a kid and lived in Tennessee I visited Cherokee, NC the reservation for the Eastern Band of the Cherokee tribe. They would sell such clubs as tourist items. This was during the early 1950's and once on a summer trip to visit my grandparents who lived not very far from Cherokee in Maryville, TN we visited Cherokee and they bought a club for me. It was no where near as ornate as yours as mine was made for the child market. Yours was made for a more upscale market and probably predates the one I had by a great many years. There are several Indian reservations in New York state. I suspect it may have been produced at one of those.

[Garguy]

I also think it is a post contact trade item. Probably authentic in design . Very nice. I would guess late 1800s or early 1900s.

[Smitty85]

Thank you all for your warm welcome and interest in educating me about the club so far. I wish I could remember the origins from my grandpa's days but there was a lot to remember. He was one of 12 siblings from Punxsutawney, PA born in the 1920's. He loved Native American pieces and Hunting and everything outdoors. He did have an uncle and sibling at that time who lived out west in the north California and also Wyoming area. I have a Marlin model 1893 rifle my grandpa gave to my dad from that era and evidence in an early photograph with that rifle in the 1920's. I feel that it very well could have came from that region perhaps late 1800's. Who knows!?

If this is a good thread to post on I'll be sure to post a few more items soon! Now my grandpa's brother was a real creative man. He would make knives, powder horns, carvings, belts, letter openers from bone and all sorts of things. So some items I have been able to tell he make him self, mostly because he would initial them. Many many many arrowheads...maybe 500 to 800 if I had to take a guess. Again, many collected while excavating the path for the New York State Thruway.

[SDhunter]

Welcome

[Smitty85]

Ok, here is another small sample of what I have here. Whatever incomplete arrowheads my grandfather and his brother found they would make art out of them. The many complete arrows are in some boxes I will get to tonight. Meanwhile these are pretty cool.