This is an exceedingly rare authentic original war paint belt bag or pouch from the Ute Native American Indian people that dates to circa mid to late 19th Century. The piece shows the very uncommon and scarce “Ute Tail” design with the long slender pipe bag like pattern having the tapering bottom. The piece was used to store the precious red ocher mineral pigment paint used to adorn the face of the Warriors during battle. The bag has excellent early period correct glass trade seed beadwork in a traditional geometric design that is sewn with the correct sinew thread, a true attribute of its early authentic age. The beadwork extends to both sides of this fully beaded piece, a truly rare fact. The beads include such colors as chalk white, sky padre blue, greasy yellow, medium blue, red white hearts, butterscotch yellow, and dark blue. Inside the bag are the plentiful remnants of the red ocher mineral pigment paint as shown in the images. Not only is this piece a truly rare and desirable collectors item in that it is an early Ute Tail beaded bag dating to circa 1860-1880, but also it is an original war paint belt pouch, making it a truly historic piece. The bag shows a brain tanned Indian hide construction made from the hide of a Great American Bison Buffalo. Provenance: From the renowned Sundog Fine Art Bozeman, Montana collection and collected by Bruce VanLandingham. Bruce VanLandingham was a pillar in the American Indian collecting community and a respected expert. Along with being an avid collector Bruce also was the sole owner of Sundog Fine Art Gallery in Bozeman which was both part museum and gallery. This wonderful piece shows a used condition with some slight tearing as shown and slight bead loss, but overall is truly a museum quality piece. Measures overall 11.5 inches in length by 3 1/8 inches wide. For a complete representation of condition and for additional images please call 800-686-4216. It is the buyer’s responsibility to view each image and preview the item to determine condition.