Knapped Oregon Obsidian Eagle

**Bill Harsey** · 03-17-2009, 21:05

There is a father and son team over in Burns Oregon, Cecil and his son Emory Coons who do some serious obsidian knapping. Before they can knap it, they go out into the volcanic desert landscape and find it.
Emory started when he was 5 years old.
Here is one of Emory's rare pieces, an Eagle, hand knapped from Oregon obsidian. This piece is 9 inches long.

nmap · 03-17-2009, 21:54

Absolutely beautiful. Thank you for putting up the picture!

HOLLiS · 03-17-2009, 22:14

Thank you, That is really amazing.

03-17-2009, 23:28

That is a truly beautiful work of art.

Amazing work.. that young man should be proud.

JJ_BPK · 03-18-2009, 04:04

I B jealous,, really nice work..

Found their web page: www.oregonthundereggs.com/coons.html

I love that ax Emory is holding.

Real Man Tool.

CPTAUSRET · 03-18-2009, 08:57

Awesome work!

**Bill Harsey** · 03-18-2009, 09:17

This thread should probably have been started with some of Emory's very clean and highly functional arrowheads and blades. He has been knapping for 30 of his 35 years.
Both Emory and his father Cecil have taken big game with their own knapped points mounted on wooden arrows.
When Cecil started knapping, he thinks there were about 12 people in the United States practicing the craft.

Both of these men have worked with many archeologists and paleontologists doing research on ancient man in the region they live in.
Southeastern Oregon has sites that science is dating the presence of humans back to or past 14,000 years before present.
It's the science guys that benefit from Cecil and Emory's intimate knowledge of the Oregon High Desert and the resources it contains.

PiterM · 03-18-2009, 09:41

That is work of true art!!! I've seen some nice obsidian creation but this one must be best I've ever seen!

mcarey · 03-18-2009, 16:13

That is some awesome obsidian!

Bill, I think you are right, an inlay of that fire obsidian into the knife handle of one of your hunters would look awesome. Judging by the pendants he and his father do, you may be able to make a guard also.

Thanks for thhe post

cornelyj · 03-18-2009, 16:25

That is a pretty awesome depiction; this type of art/tool creation dates back to the beginnings of all types of subsistence patterns. It is pretty cool how they have taken it to a whole new level.

If you have ever tried this with volcanic rocks etc. you know how much of a skilled hand is needed.... very impressive.

If you don't mind me asking how much does one of these go for?

03-18-2009, 23:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by mcarey

That is some awesome obsidian!

Bill, I think you are right, an inlay of that fire obsidian into the knife handle of one of your hunters would look awesome. Judging by the pendants he and his father do, you may be able to make a guard also.

Thanks for thhe post

I second the thanks Bill.

I had always thought I had not seen anything much prettier than fire agate.
But the fire obsidian has to be much nicer.
here is a url to the auction website for the stones. I can see my purse is going to be much lighter for a few of these.
http://www.dragonsayeauctions.com/Co...7,user_id,shop

Thanks again.
A.M.

LibraryLady · 03-19-2009, 10:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by armymom1228

... the fire obsidian has to be much nicer.
here is a url to the auction website for the stones. I can see my purse is going to be much lighter for a few of these...

Agreed. There are some very nice stones in there.

LL

HOLLiS · 03-19-2009, 11:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bill Harsey

This thread should probably have been started with some of Emory's very clean and highly functional arrowheads and blades. He has been knapping for 30 of his 35 years.
Both Emory and his father Cecil have taken big game with their own knapped points mounted on wooden arrows.
When Cecil started knapping, he thinks there were about 12 people in the United States practicing the craft.

Both of these men have worked with many archeologists and paleontologists doing research on ancient man in the region they live in.
Southeastern Oregon has sites that science is dating the presence of humans back to or past 14,000 years before present.
It's the science guys that benefit from Cecil and Emory's intimate knowledge of the Oregon High Desert and the resources it contains.

A young man who was in scouts with my son is doing knapping. I mention this post to him. I guess in a week or two there is some kind of knappers get together. I think with the rise of "buckskinners" some of the old skills are being made popular again. About 15 years, I picked up some knapping supplies and quickly realized it was not my forte'.

03-19-2009, 11:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by HOLLiS

A young man who was in scouts with my son is doing knapping. I mention this post to him. I guess in a week or two there is some kind of knappers get together. I think with the rise of "buckskinners" some of the old skills are being made popular again. About 15 years, I picked up some knapping supplies and quickly realized it was not my forte'.

Yep back in the 90's when I got involved with the buckskinning groups.. same thing.. It gave me a whole new respect for our ancestors that did such stuff. One incorrect whack and the whole arrowhead is toast.

**Bill Harsey** · 03-19-2009, 14:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by cornelyj

If you don't mind me asking how much does one of these go for?

Spoke with Emory this morning and he is asking 800 dollars US for the 9.5 inch Obsidian Eagle. He also tells me (and we already knew this) that these are difficult to make.