Antique Native American Beaded Tobacco Bag 'Pipe Bag', Sioux, 19th Century

Constructed of native tanned hide with trade beads and horse hair, this doll is wearing a traditional period dress and moccasins. A nomadic tribe, the Sioux territory included parts...

Antique Sioux (Native American/Plains Indian) Parfleche in a box form constructed of rawhide and intricately painted in an abstract design with hourglass and geometric motifs with natural pigments and red trade cloth. At the time this was created, the Sioux Indians were nomadic and are associated with vast areas of the Great Plains of the United States including present-day North and South Dakota, Minnesota, Nebraska and Montana. Authenticity is guaranteed. Box is in very good condition - please contact us for a detailed condition report. 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...

American Indian moccasins, expertly beaded by a member of the Sioux (Plains Indian) tribe. The dark blue elements on the vamps symbolize Buff...

Antique 19th century Native American (Plains Indian) roach headdress made with dyed deer hair and porcupine guard hair on a u-shaped braided cloth with...

Pair of antique Native American moccasins dating to the late Classic Period (1650-1875). Hand crafted by a Sioux, Plains Indian, arti...

A plains Indian roach “Headdress or Hair Ornament”. Custom display stand is included. Dimensions without stand measures 15 x 15 x 16 inches. Height with s...

Sioux catlinite T pipe with fluted base and top. Has been smoked, with original stem. Collected by Charles Graves, Indian agent in 1928, South Dakota. Authentic. Period: First quart...

Sioux fully beaded moccasins. Red, yellow and blue on white background. Soft soled brain tanned hide. PERIOD: Late 19th Century ORIGIN: Great Plains ...

Sioux fully beaded moccasins. Red, white and blue with geometric stacked colors. Hard soles, cotton cuff edging. Period: Late 19th Century Origin: Gr...

Sioux bow and quiver with beaded bands on top and bottom on both bow and quiver case. Bow 46" of bodack with original sinew string and three 24" matching arr...

Quilled knife sheath with quilled drops, tin cones with yellow horsehair. With original collection tag. A very rare piece in this condition. Original tag reads "Knife sheath I bought from Mr. Corelson Marsh 1st - 1890 Pd 60 cts. Worth 2.00. Mr. Robb sent Me C. (Post - Trade form Ft Bennet Dakota. A valuable relic + very rare. Worked with colored porcupine quills. E Kaucher." Ex. Stalter Collection. Dr. Kenneth Stalter (1954-2012) grew up in Delaware County where he developed a lifelong interest in Native American tools...

Sioux hair drop with brass trade beads, blue beaded background having red and yellow geometric designs. White horsehair drop dyed blue. Period: Last quarter of the 19th century Orig...