Lot 295

Northern Cheyenne Beaded Medicine Pouch c. 1890

Estimate: $400 - $800

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
The lot features a beaded medicine pouch hide flat bag from the Northern Cheyenne Native Americans, dating to circa 1890’s. The piece is comprised of Indian tanned hide, which is trade thread sewn with a fancy hand cut Indian tanned hide fringed border framing the entire bag and further accented by geometric effigy beadwork, all in period correct glass trade seed cen beads. The beadwork shows two four-point Maltese-like crosses with diamond hour-glass-like symbols on one side and diamond arrow or track-like symbols on the other. The bead colors are red white hearts, greasy blue, cobalt, chalk white, Cheyenne pink, and medium blue. The bag shows the original Indian tanned hide draw string and the inside of the bag has remnants of what appears to be sage, signs of medicine shaman use. The piece has a nice worn patina from honest age and use and slightly stiffening fringes and supple hide. The bag has very slight bead loss. Provenance: From a private museum collection in the Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes region of France. The bag measures 3" x 4.25”.