Self-adornment is important to many Native American tribes. Traditionally, garments were decorated with porcupine quills, feathers, animal hair and plant-based dyes. With the introduction of European trade, traditional hand drilled beads made from stone, bone and shell were soon replaced with glass beads in red, yellow, blue, and white. The visual enhancement of clothing and horse gear has remained a strong part of Native American culture to this day. Cisco’s collection of antique American Indian beadwork includes moccasins, pipe bags, flat bags, bandolier bags, tipi bags, gauntlets, cradle boards, fetishes, martingales and more. Much of the collection is from the Great Plains and Plateau regions and dates to the late 19th Century, early 20th Century.
Plateau flat bag with eight-point star on four-panel pink background.PERIOD: Late 19th Century ORIGIN: Plateau - Unknown, Native AmericanSIZE: 10...
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Plateau flat bag with two doves sitting on a branch with flowers on blue background. Brain tanned deerskin edging and 3” fringe.PERIOD: Early 20th...
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Plateau flat bag with elk in the woods and morning sun on white background.PERIOD: Mid 20th CenturyORIGIN: Plateau - Unknown, Native AmericanSIZE: ...
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Crow shell loop necklace. Harness leather strip studded with 38 brass buttons; crow large abalone shells affixed to top. Ex Jim RitchiePERIOD: Late...
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Blackfeet gauntlets. Floral and birds on black. The United States Cavalry riders wore gauntlet gloves as part of their uniform, introducing the clo...
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19th century beaded hide saddle blanket. Sinew-sewn, lazy stitches, hawk bells, and fringe. 26" x 52" plus fringe.PERIOD: 19th CenturyORIGIN: Great...
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19th century Cree Scout jacket with fringe, beading, and 41 elk ivories with a few painted green or red. Fringe on shoulders and arms. Back once ha...
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Civil War to Indian War, this Officer's belt pouch is marked "Watertown Arsenal 1863." Undoubtedly used in the Civil War then went West where a bea...
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Sioux awl case banded with light blue having accents of dark blue, greasy yellow, green, red and metallic beads. The cover has a drop ending in tin...
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Northern Plains pucker-top beaded awl case with greens, greasy yellow and red white hearts with hide fringe drops.PERIOD: 19th CenturyORIGIN: Great...
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Brightly beaded Northern Plains awl case with flap top ending with 4" hide fringe drops having tin cones.PERIOD: 19th CenturyORIGIN: Great Plains -...
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Northern Plains awl case with flap top and drops. Brightly beaded with blue, red and greasy yellows. Two round bottom drops ending in yellow loops ...
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Fully beaded Northern Plains awl case in blue, red and orange with beaded drops. 9" case, 4" dropsPERIOD: Late 19th Century ORIGIN: Great Plains - ...
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Apache beaded awl case with cap having quilled fringe - same on bottom. Fully beaded with white, blue and red whitehearts.PERIOD: 19th CenturyORIG...
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Sioux beaded banded awl case with white, blue, greasy yellows and red white hearts. Made without top. Having quilled drops on bottom ending with ti...
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Banded beaded Comanche awl case with greasy yellows, red white hearts, blue and green. A fold over top of harness leather with beaded yellow edging...
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Banded Sioux awl case with light blue, dark blue, greasy yellow and red white hearts with fold over top having tin cones with red horse hair and tw...
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Scatter beaded awl case with fold over top of smoked tanned hide with black and white beaded edges ending in tin cones with red horse hair. Bottom ...
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Salt and pepper beaded awl case with original bone awl. Fold over top in green and red ending in tin cones with old trade cloth. Bottom drops quill...
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Sioux beaded awl case with original bone awl, flap top ending in tin cones and green feather fluffs. Beaded bottom drop ending in same.PERIOD: 19th...
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Colorful beaded Cheyenne awl case with brain tanned fringe top and bottom.PERIOD: 19th CenturyORIGIN: Great Plains - Cheyenne, Native AmericanSIZE:...
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Banded beaded awl case with white, blue, pink and red having fold over top with 8" drops ending in tin cones with yellow horse hair, and bottom wit...
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Finely beaded awl case having brain tanned buffalo drops with original carved and hollowed wooden awl.PERIOD: 19th CenturyORIGIN: Great Plains - As...
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Sioux beaded awl case with beaded drops top and bottom with original antler and steel awl.PERIOD: 19th CenturyORIGIN: Great Plains - Sioux, Native ...
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Northern Plains fully beaded awl case with original cap and bottom beaded drops ending in loops.PERIOD: 19th CenturyORIGIN: Great Plains - Northern...
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Turtle fetish with checkerboard design of red white hearts and blue rectangles. Legs are brain tanned and splayed hide, wrapped in red quills. Br...
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About 1900-05 a train carrying Indians was wrecked outside a little town near Chicago called Maywood. The doctor in charge, Mrs. Clark's father, to...
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Jemez hunting fetish used for generations, much handled. Came with later-made pouch keeper. 3 1/4"PERIOD: 19th CenturyORIGIN: Southwest - Jemez, Na...
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19th century lizard fetish on buffalo calfskin with double tin cones for legs.PERIOD: 19th CenturyORIGIN: Great Plains - Sioux, Native AmericanSIZE...
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Sioux turtle fetish with fringed legs. Red white hearts with stylized blue crosses having white centers and outlined in greasy yellows with green.P...
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Sioux lizard fetish with green background having red and white accents. Tin cones with feather fluffs. Ex. G. Fennimore Johnson.PERIOD: Late 19th C...
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Sioux turtle fetish with green and red background having light blue beaded edging.PERIOD: 19th CenturyORIGIN: South Dakota, Native AmericanSIZE: ...
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Sioux lizard fetish with green buffalo hoof design with pink background and blue accents and outside beading. Brain tanned fringe with quill work o...
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Sioux stylized lizard fetish with tin cones having horse hair drops for legs and tail. Red white heart centers with orange and green checkerboard s...
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Sioux lizard fetish with cobalt blue and white edging alternating with blue and red. Tin cones having red trade cloth.PERIOD: Late 19th Century ORI...
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Sioux lizard fetish with tin cones and blue dyed feather fluffs for legs, tail and tongue. Geometric lines interspersed with scatter beads. Muslin ...
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