The lot features a 19th-century pictorial polychrome painted war shield from the Lakota Sioux of South Dakota; said to have been collected from Pine Ridge Indian Reservation Oglala Sioux family in the 1900’s, from the ex-Jim Aplan and Ted Levy collections. The shield is comprised of thick Indian brain tanned Buffalo / Bison hide that is lace sewn with Indian hide against a bent wood frame. There are two arm bands still attached comprised of Indian tanned buffalo hide. The entire front and back are covered in original 1800’s mineral pigment polychrome pictorial painting, rare to show the back painted as well. The front has two incised lines running horizontally and old faded yellow ochre / ocher as well as red ochre / ocher paint done in symbols of four-point stars and two half-moon shapes. The back shows an old green background with faded yellow four-point cross symbols, possibly representing birds in flight. The paint shows some fading and flaking and there are some staining from use and age, but overall the piece has been preserved over the years. Provenance: Collected from an Oglala Sioux family in the 1900’s at Pine Ridge Indian Reservation; from the ex-collection of Jim Aplan of Piedmont, South Dakota and Ted Levy of Santa Rosa, California. Overall measures 20-inches across and is a truly artistic and historic representation of High Plains pieces.