This is a fantastic steatite and catlinite, pewter inlaid pipe bowl from the Native American Indians of the Plains, circa 1870-1880’s. The piece shows a black steatite pipestone and sections of red catlinite pipestone at the insert tip and top of the smoking chamber. The piece is beautifully inlaid with pewter, showing a triangular open and hourglass with single band at the insert end and angular square to tapering stem, along with a single pewter band at the transition of red to black. The smoking chamber shows a wonderful upward tapering octagonal design, which flows into the stem tip that is also intricately beveled. The bowl shows a well-preserved condition, with no apparent cracks, breaks, or repairs and proper signs of true age and Native use. The pipe is likely from the Sioux, Arapaho, or Cheyenne tribes, dating to circa 1870-1880. Provenance: From the ex-collection of Mark Francis, author, renowned collector, and musician. Measures overall 5 1/4 inches long by 4 inches tall.