This is a very unique authentic original polychrome painted pictorial shield from the Paiute Native American Indians. The shield shows an rawhide construction with rawhide sinew sewn wetted and stretched over a stripped wood bent branch showing four pieces of rawhide sinew coming together at the center for rigidity. The rear of the shield shows obvious primitive archaic stone scrapping marks from when the hide was skinned and tanned by the Indian creators. The front surface shows paint all done with mineral pigment dyes of various ocher colors of blue, white, brown, and black. The polychrome painted surface shows a thick blue border framing the outer edge of the shield with a large American Bald Eagle with wings spread at teh center having a Great American Bison Buffalo skull beneath it and flanked by two massive long clawed Grizzly Bear paws. The shield carries a 1 3/8 inch by 2 3/4 inch early canvas tag secured to the shield with a bit of wire. The tag is printed, "No. 1624 / Early American Museum Piece" then hand written, "Piute Shield" then again printed, "Herron & Mullen Collection". Only one other example of this similar tag could be found which was pinned to a set of Plains Indian Beaded Moccasins from circa 1940 offered by Under One Nation Trading Post. The shield is thought to date from the late 19th Century(1800's) to early-mid 20th Century (1900's) and shows a fine folk art like Indian painted surface with wonderful patina. Provenance: The piece is from a historic and important American Indian antiquities collection in Billings, Montana and was said to be examined by an expert. Measures overall 21"x20.5". For a complete representation of condition and for additional images please call 800-686-4216. It is the buyer۪s responsibility to view each image and preview the item to determine condition.