"Bedford Street Frog & Dragon Pipe: Looks like possibly a Haida pipe carved 
from whale bone. I think the "dragon" may be Raven rather than dragon. There 
is a well-known story among northwestern coast cultures about a raven that 
brings light to the Earth (in his beak). In Haida myth, Frog is Raven's 
wife. Almost all Haida (and other northwest coast) pipes were carved of 
argillite after the 1850s, and whalebone & ivory rarely used for carved 
pipes anymore, so the dating would be right for your site.

How does a Haida pipe find its way into a NYC privy? There were several 
captains of New England whaling vessels who built sizeable collections of 
carved ivory & scrimshaw from the northwest coast cultures ... favorite 
collectables were utilitarian items like pipes and ivory-handled razors & 
knives (... and off-colour knick-knacks). Aye, methinks to perceive a 
certain nautical whiff from your toilet collection.

Bob Skiles
~~~~~
"Now there are so many scientists who believe in dowsing, that the suspicion 
comes to me that it may be only a myth after all".  ~ Charles Hoy Fort

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jessica Striebel MacLean" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Tuesday, April 24, 2007 8:33 AM
Subject: Re: Identification help, please!


> I'll send you the pictures when I get home this evening!
>
>
> Quoting geoff carver <[log in to unmask]>:
>
>> I've never actually been able to get the webpages to open, so I've never
>> been able to join
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: HISTORICAL ARCHAEOLOGY [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of 
>> Jessica
>> Striebel MacLean
>> Sent: April 24, 2007 04:30
>> To: [log in to unmask]
>> Subject: Identification help, please!
>>
>> I have posted photographs of the objects at
>> http://archaeoseek.ning.com/photo under my name, Jessica Striebel 
>> MacLean.
>> If you do not wish to become a member of the site which is free
>>
>
>
>
> -- 
> Jessica Striebel MacLean
> Department of Archaeology
> Boston University
> 675 Commonwealth Ave
> Boston, MA 02215