This is an exceptional rare set of pictorial quilled and beaded circa 1870 with buffalo hide and hard sole bottoms. Moccasins with pictorial quillwork are immensely rare and desirable with this being a wonderful example. These men’s warrior set date to circa 1870 and exhibit Indian tanned Buffalo Bison hide construction that is sinew sewn and shows thick Indian tanned parfleche rawhide Bison Buffalo hard sole bottoms that are also sinew sewn. The sides shows porcupine quill quillwork crosses along the medium height ankle, on the outside and inside of the foot (totaling eight crosses on the set). The pictorial crosses show mineral pigments of red ocher / ochre and natural white. The set shows a six split parfleche rawhide section which is covered in porcupine quill quillwork with natural mineral pigment red ocher having Indian tanned hide tied old rolled tin jingle dangle cones with red ocher dyed plume feather accents, above this is a band of old beadwork in chalk white and cobalt. The tops or vamps are completely porcupine quill quillworked showing a triangular geometric pattern, documented on other early Sioux quilled examples in natural mineral pigments of red ocher and a pale almost green to yellow coloring. The entire foot and outer edge, running to the back of the foot and up the ankle are covered in sinew sewn old 1800’s glass trade seed beads in classic early Sioux pattern with a chalk white background with cobalt and red white hearts. The bottoms show a nice foot worn pattern and overall the set shows honest patina from their early age and use. There is some quill loss. Early quilled and beaded moccasins from the Sioux are already a wonderfully collectible, but example showing Pictorial Quillwork are some of the finer and most sought after sets: For reference see the set sold by Cowan’s Hindman in September 2022 for $9,675 with quill and beadwork along with crosses such as ours, 1880 Sioux Quilled Pictorial set sold by High Noon Western Americana in 2011 for $9,000, the Sioux 1890 set Beaded and Quilled with star-burst pattern sold by Cowan’s in 2009 for $7,800, the Sioux Quilled and Beaded 19th-Century set with Horse Tracks and Honor Wounds sold by Freeman’s Hindman in 2024 for $7,860, and very similar Sioux Beaded & Quilled set with cross pictorial sold by Cowan’s in 2018 for $5,535 (all shown w/ bp). Each moccasin measures 10.5-inches long by 4.5-inches wide by 4-inches high.