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Trails of Tradition: Parade Saddles, Beadwork & Western Auction

Sat, May 16, 2026 11:00AM EDT
  2026-05-16 11:00:00 2026-05-16 11:00:00 America/New_York North American Auction Company North American Auction Company : Trails of Tradition: Parade Saddles, Beadwork & Western Auction https://live.naabid.com/auctions/north-american-auction/trails-of-tradition-parade-saddles-beadwork-western-auction-23448
Join North American Auction Company on May 16th for our Trails of Tradition: Parade Saddles, Beadwork & Western Auction. This is a wonderful collection of items including one of the largest Ted Flowers Saddles and Riggins Silver Mounted Parade Saddle item collection, Bruce VanLandingham Sundog, the Historic and Important ex-William H. Guthman 18th-Century Presentation Silver Mounted Pipe Tomahawk, and other collector items including Native American Beadwork and Weapons, Western History, Photos, Great Northern Calendars, fine Navajo Jewelry, Americana, and Luxury Jewelry. Visit Live.Naabid.com
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Lot 148

ca. 1860 Blackfeet Parfleche Envelope ex-Museum

Estimate: $8,000 - $10,000
Starting Bid
$1,500

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 a historic circa 1860-1870’s Blackfeet Polychrome Painted Parfleche Envelope in a large size constructed from buffalo hide from the ex-collection of Frank Phillips (1873-1950); Deaccessioned from Woolaroc Museum, Oklahoma; ex-Jackson, Wyoming collection; ex-Gordon Pouliot collection. This is a large parfleche envelope that is comprised of thick Great American Bison Buffalo hide that is parfleche rawhide in a classic envelope pattern, used for carrying goods by the early tribes. This example shows mineral pigment paint with a wonderful hourglass geometric pattern in documented Blackfeet / Blackfoot pattern showing colors of green, blue, and red. Provenance: When unfolded the inside marked, “Frank Phillips Woolaroc Museum” along with a number; from the ex-collection of Frank Phillips (1873-1950), Deaccessioned from Woolaroc Museum, Oklahoma; from the private Native American beadwork and artifacts collection in Jackson, Wyoming; from the ex-Gordon Pouliot. Frank Phillips, was the founded of Phillips Petroleum Company and was born near Scotia, Greeley County, Nebraska November 28, 1873 in a primitive log cabin. In the early days of his career, he drilled many wells on Osage Indian lands, due to his fair dealings the Osage adopted Frank Phillips into the tribe and made him a chief, giving him the name, “Wah-Shah-She (Osage) Hluah-Ke-He-Kah (Eagle Chief)” — “Uncle Frank” was the first white man ever to attain this high honor. Frank died on August 23, 1950. The piece is well preserved with a nice patina and coloring from honest age and use showing much of the old mineral pigment paint intact and preserved. The thick Indian tanned buffalo hide ties are still intact as well. In its folded form the piece measures 25-inches by 14.5-inches wide. This parfleche envelope was collected as a pair with the other Blackfeet Parfleche Envelope, both presumably from the same collection, but being sold separately. For reference of historic parfleche envelopes such as this see the following: Sioux Buffalo Hide Parfleche sold by Cowan’s in September 2020 for $14,080, Blackfoot Parfleche Envelope sold in April 2026 for $6,250 by Taos Auction, and the Cheyenne Parfleche Envelope 1865-1875 sold August 2025 for $10,000 by Lusher Fine Art.

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