This is a truly exceptional circa 1870 Lakota Sioux beaded buffalo hide sheath and pewter silver inlaid trade knife from an ex-East Coast Museum collection and ex-collections of John Painter and Jim Bastian. Unlike most Indian Wars belt knife sheaths, this example is more in the pattern of a dag knife sheath and shows a fine intricate beadwork. The piece is comprised of Indian brain-tanned Great American Bison Buffalo hide sinew sewn and artfully adorned with intricate geometric beadwork in classic 1800’s Sioux patterns. The beadwork shows an hourglass intersecting triangles top with vertical banded lower section having rolled tin jingle dangle cones in the center. The beads are all 1800’s old glass trade seed beads showing colors of greasy blue, greasy yellow, chalk white and Cheyenne pink white hearts. The top shows a twisted braided tie loop with four Indian hide fringes with more tin cones. The bottom shows long frilly Indian hide fringes each with hand rolled jingle dangle cones with a small strip of old red stroud trade clothe above. The piece is paired with an original mid-1800’s trade knife showing a one piece hardwood handle inlaid beautifully with silver pewter with a geometric pattern showing tabs, long rectangular shapes and zig-zag sawtooth designs with a rich mellow patina. Provenance: ex-East Coast Museum collection where the piece was proudly on display; From the ex-collections of noted author and collector John Painter Ohio and Jim Pastian Missouri. The set shows a nice patina from honest age and use with well kept little to no bead loss. Measures overall 20-inches long, sheath body is about 10.5-inches by 3.5-inches without ties or fringes and the knife is 11.5-inches long.