This is an exceptional and rare, Southern Plains Native American Indian, split Buffalo horn war bonnet from circa 1870’s. The piece is likely from the Southern Cheyenne or Comanche Indians from the third quarter of the 19th Century. The piece was listed by Christies Auction House in the late 1970’s to early 1980’s and sold in one of their American Indian Art sales in New York for $8,500; the original tag is still present. The piece was purchased by Cyrus Eaton and is from his London, England collection. The war bonnet headdress is comprised of an Indian brain-tanned hide cap with hundreds of hand-cut ermine hides attached, along with strips of trade cloth, trade beads, and old hawk trade bells. The original hide ties traps are still attached at the front. There are two long strips of red and blue stroud trade cloth affixed to the back, along with eight long strips of lone red horse tail hair. The horse tail hair strips or horse mane strips are wrapped in small Buffalo hide sleeves and are attached with hide lacing to the cap. The front shows a beautiful beaded strip on the front of the brow and two split, shaved, and polished Buffalo Bison horns attached to the top of the cap that have dyed horse tail hair and small ermined hide strips on the tips. There are two wound glass, pony sky blue strands securing the tips of the horns to the cap. The front also shows red dyed horse tail hair drops, which are further adorned with rolled tin jingle cones, copper conchos, and hide lacing. The hide has a nice patina inside, with signs of age and use. The Cheyenne were known to decorate head dresses and war bonnets with long horse tail hair, braided or hung loose. Authentic, split horn war bonnets are extremely rare, with this truly being an exceptional example with honest Indian Wars ceremonial use. Provenance: Originally Purchased from Christies American Indian Art Sale in the late 1970’s to early 1980’s for $8,500 by Cyrus Eaton of London, England and still has the Christies Auction Tag. The piece comes on a custom headdress display stand made from a mic stand. The headdress measures 45”L and is about 13.5”W at the horns.