North American Auction Company
Live Auction

Montana Premier March 4th Collector Auction

Sat, Mar 4, 2023 11:00AM EST
Lot 18

Circa 1890 Comanche Riding Quirt w/ Beadwork

Estimate: $2,000 - $3,000

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 fantastic late-18th-century horse riding quirt with beadwork attributed to the Comanche Native American Indians of Northern Texas and is from the ex-DuPont family collection. The piece is comprised of a long piece of hand-carved walnut wood with a tapered design and three sets of cut circles along with old brass tacks. There is a single, large silver tack on the bottom end. The whipping straps are comprised of two long strips of old harness saddle leather and a small wrap of old stroud clothe. There is some minor and expected wear and the quirt has a nice, shiny patina. The star of the quirt is the gorgeous beaded wrist thong strap at the bottom end, done in typical Comanche beaded patterns and colors of the late 19th Century. Beadwork is all glass trade seed beads in chalk white, greasy white, greasy green, cobalt, red and sky padre blue. The inside of the wrist throng has some staining. This is truly a terrific 1890 Southern Plains quirt in well kept condition. A similar 19-inch long wooden-handled quirt sold in a Cowan’s / Hindman sale in September 2022 with a pre-sale estimate of $3,000 to $5,000 and hammered at $3,875. Provenance: From the ex-Mary Lou and Pierre DuPont collection St. Louis, Missouri and was purchased by the DuPont’s from a dealer at the Whitehawk show in Santa Fe in August 2003. Total length of 18 inches of the quirt itself and the strap hangs down an additional 21 inches in length.