This is a fantastic ledger drawing polychrome painted stretched rawhide parfleche drum from circa 1910 Little Crow Dakota Sioux from the ex-C.M. Russell Museum Great Falls, Montana and John Kleinschmidt collections / O’Dell collections. The piece is marked “Little Crop 6-12-10” in graphite at the bottom of the drum, the very same such mark as was on the 1910 Little Crow Dakota Sioux Stone War club also from the C.M. Russell Kleinschmidt collection which sold by NAAC in January 2025 for $1,024 (shown w/ bp). Little Crow, Mdewakanton Dakota Sioux, was the descendant of Little Crow the war chief who was a leader of the Dakota in a five-week war against the United States in 1862, also known as the Dakota War of 1862, Sioux War, Sioux Uprising or Little Crow’s War. The piece shows wetted and stretched parfleche rawhide over a stripped and carved bent wood hoop that is tied an an ”X” and wrapped in old floral calico trade clothe. The edges of the hide are held onto the wood with old soli metal round trade tacks with a dark coloring. The bottom is signed, “Little Crow 6-12-10” and the inside is marked, “John Kleinschmidt, Mandan, N.D.”. There is also the original C.M. Russell Museum collection tag which is marked, “1396-87 O’Dell”. The wooden hoop is secured to itself with four copper rivets or pins peened flat. The front shows a beautiful hand-painted ledger artwork showing a portrait of a Northern Plains War Chief or Elder wearing a beaded feathered headdress war bonnet, possibly a portrait of Little Crow’s family member Chief Little Crow of the 19th-century. Provenance: From the John Kleinschmidt collection which was on loan to the C.M. Russell Museum from 1987 to 1993 and included in the "The Cowboy West: 100 Years of Photography 1992-1993 exhibit. Catherine A. O'Dell. An attached museum tag reads, "1396-87 O'Dell". The war drum or ceremonial drum shows a well preserved condition and was on display at the Charles Marrion Russell Museum in Great Falls, Montana. Measures overall without fringes 13-inches in diameter by about 2.25-inches thick. There are two splits on the rawhide on the sides of the drum, typical given the drums age. A copy of the C.M. Russell Museum paperwork can be available at request. The piece is sold directly from the O’Dell family, who are directly related to Kleinschmidt.