This is an exceptional authentic Indian Wars period split Buffalo horn war bonnet from the Blackfoot Native American Indians and dating to circa 1880’s. The piece is from the prominent Cyrus Eaton Estate Collection in London, England and was originally collected by Eaton’s friend and fellow collector / author Dr. Colin Taylor. The piece is comprised of a Great American Bison Buffalo hide cape with split carved and polished Buffalo horns being adorned with a very scarcely seen completely covered white Ermine hide decoration. The headdress is also adorned with a beautifully beaded brown band in a geometric pattern of all 19th Century period correct glass trade seed beads in a chevron or zig zag pattern of greasy blue, cobalt and greasy yellow. There are strips of old braided buckskin and trade cloth tied on and original beaded supports strips still intact that hold the horns together and are adorned at the ends with red dyed horsehair, Ermine fir and brass hawk bells. The strips connecting the horns are covered in red white heart and blue white heart wound glass trade beads and the horn tips are wrapped in a trade clothe. The headdress war bonnet shows a trailing cape at the back of an old trade blanket with dark blue coloring having stripes of yellow and red and being further adorned by long red stroud trade clothe fringe strips with hide fringe and brass hawk bells. The original ties are still intact, and the inside of the cap has a nice patina from age and use, presumably from sweat. The Buffalo horns have a very unique four sided carved and polished appearance, a documented style attributed. This piece is attributed to the Blackfoot Tribe in the Waterton Lakes region of Northern Montana and is truly a very rare and incredible piece. The bottom edge of the beaded brow band is accented by a fancy beaded edge of Cheyenne pink in greasy form. Provenance: From the Dr. Colin Taylor Collection, Tom Hardy Collection and Cyrus Eaton Estate of London, England.