It is belived that the pipe's maker was likely to have been of Eastern Sioux origin living amongst his Western Sioux cousins, possibly a refugee from the Minnesota troubles in 1862, and made the pipe to be more suited to Western Sioux taste. This is seen in the shorter stem length and classic T-Bowl style of this period found amongst the Lakota (Western) Indians.

Stanley, hired by the Missouri Democrat as a war correspondent in 1866 reported on the peace conference between General Sherman and the plains Indians and during this year made the acquaintance of many legendary figures such as Generals Sherman, Terry and Hancock; Wild Bill Hickock and Custer as well as the Indian chiefs Spotted Tail, Satank and Satanta. This pipe may well have been acquired by Stanley in the 1860s, or given to him on his 1890 lecture tour.