“Four Feathers”
By Leonard Michel
The Four Feathers pipe honors the symbols of four within the natural laws of nature. The finely carved eagle feathers on the bowl of the pipe will guide the drifting smoke from the pipe to the four directions, and the four carved feathers on the white tail deer horn display base will warm the spirit throughout the four seasons.
Leonard creates all of his art pieces from fine quality hardwoods. The Pipe is made from Cherry wood with the base made from Juniper. The Juniper tree holds great significance and meaning for the Kootenai People, and is collected along the bed of the Flathead River and other locations on the Flathead Reservation. Leonard tries to incorporate the beautiful read and cream swirled hardwood with its sweet aroma into all his arts. Flathead Lake located on the Flathead Indian reservation is the largest fresh water lake west of the Mississippi river and is famous for it cherry orchards along the shores of the lake. The pipe is beaded in a peyote bead style on the stem with 5″ beaded fringe along with a strand of brain-tanned buckskin, glass trade beads and an actual elk tooth from one of Leonard’s hunts.
“Four Feathers” pipe is a finely crafted piece of functional Kootenai art and a beautiful addition to any collection.