Following is a brief description of the seven winged bannerstones in this writer's collection. Collecting a top example of all the variations of this type of bannerstone has been a real challenge that has taken years to accomplish. These examples are well above the average in size and quality. The accompanying photogtaphs to this article illustrate the opposite side and end views of the same banners that are shown in color elsewhere in this journal.

Left column, top. This is an undrilled butterfly bannerstone which may be the most unique type among all bannerstone. It is the only type manufactured specifically to not be perforated. Instead it has a rather wide and shallow groove on both sides in which to facilitate exterior hafting (see end view photo, bottom banner). This type of butterfly banner is found almost exclusively in the state of Michigan. However, a few are known to have been found in northern Indiana and northern Ohio. This bannerstone was found  in Michigan and first collected by Arthur Abraham from Davison, Michigan. It is pictured in Who's Who Number 2 as part of the Hubert Wachtel collection. It is made from red-brown banded slate and is 6 1/4 inches in width. It was later collected by Hugh Huff and Ron Ammerman.

Left column, bottom. Although this banner is not a particularly large or fine example of a double-notched butterfly banner, it is a good example of those that are made in a thicker, heavier style.This writer has noted several of this type as being from northeast Indiana. They are often very symmetrical and well made but they are thick in profile in comparison to the classic thin winged examples. This banner is from DeKalb County Indiana and has a width of 4-3/4 inches. It was found by Dennis Poorman on his farm near Waterloo. It was then purchased from Poorman by Cameron Parks in 1940.

Right column, top. This is another example of the classic double notched butterfly banner. It was found in Cass County Indiana and has two sharp central ridges (see end view photo, third from bottom) and very deeply cut notches that have been noted on other banners found in the same general area as this example. This bannerstone is 5 inches wide and made from dark green banded slate. The earliest known collector was H. C. Wachtel of Dayton, Ohio. Later collectors were John Berner and Hugh Huff.

Right column, bottom. This single notched butterfly bannerstone from Miami County, Ohio illustrates the variation that is probably the rarest of the winged bannerstones. It is 5-3/8 inches wide and made from green highly banded and contrasting slate. It also has sharp central ridges parallel to the perforation (see end view photo, third from the top). This bannerstone was originally collected by V. E. Ladd of Toledo, Ohio and later by Randal Jones

Another noteworthy observation on these seven bannerstones is the fact that four of them have significant white streaks or splotches in the material from which they were made. These particular pieces of slate were chosen for these banners due to the presence of these streaks. Many other very fine slate artifacts have been made from slate that contains these streaks.

Group of various forms of slate butterfly banners. Top row left to right, found near Angola, In., ex Archie Diller Collection, Pickaway Co., Ohio, from Stan Copeland. Middle row, left from five miles east of Kenton, Hardin Co., Ohio, ex Dana Baker Collection, right, provenience unknown, ex Bill Jenkins Collection. Bottom row, left, from Dekalb Co., In., ex Donald Boudeman and Cameron Parks Collections, pictured in Bannerstones of the North American Indian, pages 514 and 515, left a small example from Pickaway Co., Ohio, ex McKnight Brothers Collection. (Photograph by Charlie Wagers.)

Article used with permission by Bill Koup, Author