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Ca. 1870 Northern Plains Quilled & Beaded Pipe Bag

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles Start Price:1,500.00 USD Estimated At:4,500.00 - 6,500.00 USD
Ca. 1870 Northern Plains Quilled & Beaded Pipe Bag
This is an original, authentic circa 1870 Northern Plains, attributed to the Sioux, pipe bag with exquisite quillwork and beadwork from the ex-collections of Stephen Johnston, Thomas W. Gingerich (ATADA member) and Carroll Morton. The lot features an Indian tanned Antelope hide with yellow ocher / ochre mineral pigment paint. Both sides exhibit original period glass trade seed beads that are sinew sewn along the neck and body with an excellent “boxed pattern”. The bottom shows thin slats of parfleche rawhide which are wrapped in porcupine quill quillwork with natural mineral pigment dyes of red, light blue and natural white also in a “boxed” or tab pattern. The bottom has original Antelope Indian tanned hide fringes with yellow ocher paint. The bag exhibits fantastic original patina. The beadwork shows colors of greasy yellow, black, an “old purple shade of pink” Cheyenne pink, medium blue, chalk white and red white hearts.

Provenance: From the Stephen Johnston collection formerly from Darby, Montana; purchased from Thomas W. Gingerich Hubbard, Oregon in 1999 for $6,500; purchased from the estate of Carroll Morton of Yakima, Washington who died on 1984. A letter and photo dated March 18,1999, from Tom Gingerich is included. Thomas W. Gingerich is a noted collector and member of The Authentic Tribal Art Dealers Association (ATADA).

The bag is well kept with mostly supple hide with some stiffening, most beadwork still intact, some very slight quill loss, but mostly present, truly a fine work of art. Measures overall 37 inches long by 5.75 inches wide.