Lot 134

19th C. Sioux Quilled & Beaded Hard Sole Moccasins

Estimate: $2,500 - $4,000

Bid Increments

Price Bid Increment
$0 $5
$50 $10
$100 $25
$500 $50
$1,000 $100
$2,000 $250
$5,000 $500
$10,000 $1,000
$25,000 $2,500
$100,000 $5,000
This is an exceptional set of early moccasins showing wonderful quillwork and beadwork with hard soles from the Sioux Indians of the 1800's. These 19th Century moccasins are comprised of Indian tanned Buffalo Bison hide with hard sole parfleche rawhide remnant Buffalo Bison bottoms. The set is mostly sinew sewn with some trade cotton thread repairs and adornments including the old dark blue trade clothe stroud piped edge at the medium height ankle. The tops, sides, tongue and back of the set is covered in fantastic geometric quillwork and beadwork which is mostly sinew sewn with some trade thread. The entire top is covered in tight finely sewn natural dyed porcupine quill quillwork showing a banded design in colors of red, yellow and green / blue. Outside of the quillwork is framed around the entire foot in a nice wide sinew sewn geometric 1800's period correct glass trade seed bead beadwork done inclors of chalk white, greasy medium green, dark blue and red white hearts. The beadwork band extends slightly higher at the ankle with a band of the greasy medium green. The long Indian hide tongue has beadwork and porcupine quillwork covered parfleche in a bifurcated or forked desgn with five parfleche rawhide splits holding a single solid brass old trade bead each. Quillwork on moccasins is an indication of early fine work with this being a truly wonderful representation showing scarcely seen quillwork and beadwork along the tongue. The thick Buffalo parfleche hard sole bottoms have a nice foot worn patina and the set them selves are nicely worn from honest age and use showing some slight loss to the quillwork and very little to no bead loss with the hide being slightly stiffened but mostly supple soft. The tie straps of the moccasins exhibit beaded loops with strips of parfleche rawhide covered in natural dyed porcupine quill quillework, another uncommon and rare highly decorative original attribute. While the hide ties are present one shows a disconnected side and both show the parfleche rawhide section only on the outside of the moccasin. Provenance: From a large Native American and Antique collection in Iowa. The set is very similar to the Sioux Beaded and Quilled c. 1880 set sold by High Noon Western Americana in 2011 for $9,000 and the set sold by Cowan's in 2018 from the Sioux with beaded and quillwork which sold for $5,535 and lastly the Sioux beadd and quilled set from the 19th Century which sold at Hindman's in 2022 for $4,837 (all shown with bp).
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