Hide Wall Decorations

Very nice Alaska brown bear rug on brown felt. Harvested on the Aleutian chain at Port Moller, Alaska, November 1963. Not large, but exceptionally thick...

Stunning framed taxidermy alligator with great coloring and very well preserved details. Hues of the scales range from a beige color on the outer edge...

A very unique handmade mixed media glass, gold leaf, thick acrylic paint, in abstract, wall art disc. The backing is in hide with wiring for hanging. This wall sculpture is a joyful ...

A parfleche container in an envelope form, finely painted in an abstract design. Makes a stunning wall hanging alone or in a grouping with other parfleche or can be placed on a shelf or Stand. This was created by a North American Indian living in the Plateau cultural area - encompassing portions of what is now northern Idaho, western Montana, northeast and central Oregon, eastern Washington and southeast British Columbia. The tribes from this region include Kalispel, Flathead, Kutenai, Palus, Coeur D'Alene and Nez Perce. Parfleches are rawhide containers which were fundamental to the Plains way of life. Functioning essentially as protective travelling suitcases, they enabled the nomadic tribes to effectively pursue buffalo herds and migrate between seasonal camps. So critical were they to a nomadic existence that over 40 tribes are known to have historically produced parfleches. Collectively, these tribes inhabited an area which encompassed the entirety of the Plains, as well as the parts of the Southwest, the Transmontane and Western Plateau regions. Parfleches were, out of necessity, robust and versatile objects. They were designed to carry and protect within them anything from medicinal bundles to seasonal clothing or food. In fact, it was because of the containers’ robusticity and variety that parfleches earned their name in the Anglo world. Derived from parer (to parry or turn aside) and fleche (arrow), the word parfleche was coined by 17th century French Canadian voyageurs and used to describe indigenous objects made from rawhide. Despite their common utilitarian function, parfleches served as one of the major mediums through which Plains Indian tribes could develop their long-standing tradition of painting. In fact, it is in large part due to the parfleche that tribal style emerged. Even though parfleche painting developed simultaneously with beading and weaving, painting as an artistic tradition held particular importance in tribal culture. Believed to have evolved from tattooing, it had always been used as a conduit through which tribal and individual identity could be expressed. As such, many tribeswomen were deeply committed, some even religiously, to decorating their parfleche either with incised or painted motifs that were significant to them and/or the tribe. For some tribes, such as the Cheyenne, the decorative processes which surrounded parfleche production were sacred. For others, it seems that their parfleche designs shared an interesting artistic dialogue with their beadwork, indicating a more casual exchange of design motifs. This particular relationship can be seen in Crow parfleche...

(1896-1975) Portrait painting of Chief Red Cloud Sioux by Louis Shipshee on hide mounted on board. Very nice painting by a great artist. Period: Mid ...

African Tribal Art parchment wall shade sconce featuring a large curved hide form stitched on iron and hand painted surface. These Moroccan Art pieces could be used as wall lamp sha...

African Tribal Art parchment wall hanging featuring a large curved hide form stitched on iron and hand painted surface. These Moroccan Art pieces could be used as wall lamp shade. Ir...

Cree, Assiniboine or Stony (all Canadian Assiniboine) gun scabbard for a lever action rifle. Beaded panels top and bottom, brain tanned deer hide. Beautif...

19th century Sioux war shirt of brain tanned buffalo with red ochre quill wrapped hair locks. Bead strips have stylized buffalo heads, pipes and teepees. Nice patina from use inside and out. The pipes are a great icon and make us believe that the warrior it was made for must have been an important individual in his tribe. It is hard to determine tribal attribution, possibly as far west as Fort Peck Yankton Sioux...

After oxen were introduced to Guinea Bissau by Portuguese sailors in the 15th century, its strength, aggression, and nobility quickly became integrated i...

Rifle scabbard on brain tanned elk. Exceptional beading. Warrior with double trailer headdress. Coupstick on war pony one side, two florals on reverse. ...

An early 20th century Ethiopian animal hide shield with leather knots at the centre securing the crudely formed handle. This piece has significant and attractive wear showing it's ag...