North Newton ? A ceremonial American Indian club that was among more than 30 items stolen from the Kauffman Museum nine years ago has been found thanks to the sharp eye of a collector.

Keven Hiebert has a picture of the missing club in his files, one he had taken in 1994 when he helped present a program at the museum. While researching Sept. 12 on the Internet, he came across what he was sure was the missing club being offered for sale on eBay, the online auction site.

The next morning, Hiebert called his business partner, North Newton City Administrator John Torline, and told him of his find. Torline called the museum and North Newton Police Chief Ray Classen.

Classen contacted eBay and was able to determine the club was one of 34 items discovered missing from the museum in April 1994. With the help of eBay’s investigation unit, Classen got the name of Martin Lane, a New York City man who had listed the item for sale.

Classen then contacted police in New York City, sending information about the 1994 case to Detective Mark Fishstein. Fishstein reached Lane on Monday — the last day of the eBay auction.

Fishstein determined Lane was not aware the item was stolen, Classen said.

“He bought it in late ’94 or early ’95 from a show in Orlando for $3,500,” he said. “He had kept it at his home. He just liked it. He just recently decided he’d try to sell it, hoping to get $18,000 out of it.”

Hiebert said $18,000 wasn’t out of line for a club of that quality, unique because of its artwork, with each side featuring four portraits of Indian warriors. The item had been purchased about 70 years ago by Charles Kauffman, the museum founder.

Rachel Pannabecker, director of the Kauffman Museum, said that during the mid-1990s there were major thefts from museums throughout the Great Plains, mainly of American Indian items and antique firearms.

She and Classen credited Hiebert’s keen eye for discovering the missing club.

“It took a very diligent friend of the museum to find the piece,” Pannabecker said.

Classen, meanwhile, plans to go to New York to visit with Lane and trace the club back as far as possible.