The lot features a parfleche rawhide hard shield covered in Indian tanned hide showing a polychrome painted surface from the Southern Plains Native American Indians attributed to the Southern Cheyenne. The shield shows a yellow ocher / ochre background with mineral pigment polychrome painted effigy symbols including a four-point green morning star at the center, a red upside-down crescent moon sliver, two green double wing raven / bird / insect / bug like figure, and below a linear pattern of blue, red and natural all of which is outlined in black and slightly incised or scraped at the edge. For Southern Cheyenne and Southern tribe examples see the Cheyenne c. 1840-1900 shield example sold in 2016 showing the same four-point morning star at the center and upside-down sliver moon and linear design at the base, the Southern Cheyenne Shield c. 1870 sold in 2020 showing the same upside-down sliver moon and linear design at the base, the Cheyenne Shield c. 1890 sold in 2019 with the same four-point morning star and a side-ways crescent moon, and lastly the Pueblo Shield c. 1890-1900 sold in 2020 having two four-point morning stars and geometric pattern at base and top (All four shield ranged in selling price from $1,353 to $10,455 shown with BP). This example has a hard parfleche rawhide core which is covered in an Indian tanned Great American Bison Buffalo thick hide which wraps over the edge and shows a thick hand cut short integral fringe and is tied with an original Indian tanned hide tie. The back of the shield shows an original Indian tanned hide shoulder strap and top handle strap all secured to the parfleche through pierced holes. The front of the shield shows an Indian tanned hide tie holding a solid brass etched round 1800’s hawk bell with old Millefiori Venetian 1800’s trade bead. Also on the front is a single drop of fringe Indian tanned hide on one side with a pieced hole on the other, being absent of the drop. Provenance: The piece comes from one of the largest most established Montana American Indian collections in Montana where the piece was found to be an original authentic piece. The shield has a nice condition with soft supple hide. This could be an early example, but the exact age is unknown. Measures 20 inches in diameter with a should strap that hangs 26”L from the shield.