This is a fabulous 19th-century Comanche hair ornament plates graduated drop from the ex-collection of Bruce and Ilene Johnson of Mystic Warriors. The piece exhibits a thick section of Indian tanned hide with green painted finish showing a Comanche hair plate drop, otherwise referred to as a hair ornamental piece, hair ornament, hairplates, etc. The largest concho / concha is at the top with the sizes gradually decreasing. There are a total of thirteen solid brass / copper plates all showing two slender rectangular cut outs allowing the hide to be strung through like a buckle and each has a double band of rocker engraved finshes framing the opening. The concho plates have a deep coloring and are beauitfully preserved. The bottom shows a fully beaded section on Indian tanned hide with frilly fringes and a drop of what appears to be porcupine quill hair or horse tail hair. The beadwork shows a zig-zag river or snake like pattern and tadpole like pattern with bands in between all done in early glass tread seed beads with colors of red white heart, semi-transparent green greasy light blue and chalk white. These Southern Plains hairpiece drops are exceedingly scarce with few examples known. For reference see the attached drawing from Dr. Edward Palmer in the Smithsonian Natural Museum of American History museum 1868 showing a Comanche warrior with concho hair piece on the back of his head; there also is a similar hair plate drop in the museum collection from Dr. Edward Palmer. This is truly a fine example which likely has bee preserved for display over the years. The top shows an Indian tanned hide ties along with a large brass trade tack button concho. These are likely the finest example of authentic 19th-century hair plates offered publicly. Provenance: From the ex-collection acquired from Bruce and Ilene Johnson Mystic Warriors Evergreen, Colorado. The largest plate is 4-inches in diameter and overall the drop measures 58-inches in length.