This is an exceptionally rare and historic Crow Apsaalooke Tobacco Society carved wood bowl dating to circa 1860-1880’s and from the Bruce VanLandingham Sundog collection. The Tobacco Society, according to “Ashaammaliaxxia, the Apsaalooke Clan System: a foundation for learning” by Lanny Real Bird his 1997 Doctorate thesis paper at Montana State University, or Itchihchiaee, the sacred tobacco of the Apsaalooke, is identified as “Nicotiana multivalvis” (Nabokov, 1988) a tobacco that is a shrine to the Apsaalooke, and not for smoking. Itchichiaee is the central figure of the Tobacco Society Apsaalooke, “Baasshussuua”, also known as the Beaver Dance (F. Real Bird, translated personal conversations 1977). Tobacco Society is a religion that includes healing, honoring, recruitment and adoption with not all Apsaalooke people being members and an important mechanism being the Tobacco Dance Adoption, “Baasshusseheelaakbusuua” (loosely quoted from the paper directly). The piece consist of a solid wood bowl which is expertly carved from one piece of a nice medium size showing an oval like shape with flat ridge and squared off notch on the rear having a beveled hewn like back and hand drilled pierced hole with original Indian tanned hide strap throng holding two period correct solid brass trade beads. The piece is well preserved and is truly a historic artifact with very few directly related Crow Tobacco Society pieces in existence. Provenance: Provenance: From the renowned Sundog Fine Art Bozeman, Montana collection and collected by Bruce VanLandingham. Bruce VanLandingham was a pillar in the American Indian collecting community and a respected expert. Along with being an avid collector, Bruce also was the sole owner of Sundog Fine Art Gallery in Bozeman, which was both part museum and gallery. Condition is very good and measures 8.25” by 6 5/8” by 2.75” deep with the hide throng being approximately 4.5”L and stiffened. Museum collection number: E1092.