291

19th Century Cree Beaded Sheath & Forged Knife

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles Start Price:750.00 USD Estimated At:1,500.00 - 1,900.00 USD
19th Century Cree Beaded Sheath & Forged Knife
The lot features a 19th Century Cree Indian beaded sheath and original forged frontier 19th Century knife. The sheath shows a classic floral whimsical pattern, documented as commonly being used by the Cree Native American Indians of the 19th Century. The sheath has beadwork atop a thick trade canvas with dark blue trade cloth backing, being trade thread sewn with a harness saddle trade leather backing with a fancy Czech beaded outside edge and Indian hide fringes with rolled tin jingle dangle cones on the other edge. The beadwork shows all period correct glass trade seed beads with a chalk white background with fancy edge in red white heart and cobalt and floral designs in the field in colors of greasy green, red white heart, semi-transparent dark green, amber, semi-transparent dark red, semi-transparent rose. The outside edge shows old 19th Century Czechoslovakian bugle tube beads. The piece is accompanied by an original 19th Century hand forged, crude frontier trade knife that shows a hammered spine with bowie like blade with two piece hardwood grip scales held into place with iron rivets. Provenance: Found to be an authentic 19th Century Cree example by the experts at Morphys / James D. Julia. Sheath measures 13.5”L x 6.5”W with fringes, body by itself is about 11 7/8”L x 3.75”W. The knife by itself measures 9 7/8”L.*