North American Auction Company
Live Auction

New Year January Western Collector Sale

Sat, Jan 23, 2021 11:00AM EST
Lot 47

Ute Beaded and Quilled Pipe Tobacco Bag c. 1870

Estimate: $2,500 - $5,000

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
This is an exceptional, authentic and rare beaded and porcupine quilled pipe bag from the Ute Native American Indians, dating to circa 1870’s. This example show an Indian tanned Buffalo hide construction with sinew and trade thread sewing showing traditional geometric beadwork in all period correct, 1800’s glass trade seed cen beads and porcupine quillwork fringe. The beadwork is shown across both sides of the hide bag, with most of the beads still present; the beadwork has a chalk white background with one side showing a railroad-like stop outer edge in cobalt and Cheyenne pink and a tipi triangular pattern in greasy yellow, greasy blue, and red whites hearts, along with a top edge showing green, Cheyenne pink, and cobalt. The outside edge of the bag is beaded in greasy blue, red white hearts, and chalk white, with the reverse showing a chalk white background with a cross symbol of green, red white hearts, greasy clear, and cobalt. The bag also shows triangle symbols of green and four crosses at each corner in red white hearts and greasy blue, along with another top edge of Indian tanned hide with a pattern of Cheyenne pink, cobalt, and green. The top of the bag shows a blue trade cloth and Indian tanned hide, which shows some cracking and bead loss. The bottom fringe shows slats of Buffalo rawhide, which are each wrapped in porcupine quills with alternating colors, all in natural pigment mineral dyes of yellow, blue, red, pink, etc. Below the quillwork or quilled fringe is a row of faceted fancy exotic trade beads in cobalt and greasy, holding Indian tanned hide, long fringe below. Ute tobacco pipe bags are very scarce, with a few long, large examples, such as this, being available for sale. This is truly a wonderful, circa 1870-1880’s example. Provenance: From a large Western Cowboy and American Indian collection in Dayton, Wyoming. The piece measures 42 1/2" long by 7 1/4" wide.