Plains Indian Sioux Painted Parfleche Basket

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Four sets of four: cup, saucer, dinner plate and bowl, with paintings of mythological subjects on each by William Gropper. Russel Wright "American Modern" Steubenville provides the s...

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...

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

Northern Plains parfleche bonnet case with original long fringe. Old smoke from the teepee. Period: circa 1870 Origin: Northern Plains Size: Case 19" ...

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...

Sioux child's dress with matching leggings. Created by hand with native tanned hide and beaded with glass trade beads in blue, white, red, pink and green. Pictorial design elements i...

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...