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Circa 1870 Sioux Beaded Hide Buffalo Moccasins

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles Start Price:750.00 USD Estimated At:2,000.00 - 3,000.00 USD
Circa 1870 Sioux Beaded Hide Buffalo Moccasins
The lot features a truly stunning set of beaded buffalo hide hard sole men's moccasins dating to circa 1870's from the Lakota Sioux, ex-Skinners. The moccasins are comprised of Indian tanned buffalo hide tops with buffalo parfleche rawhide hard sole bottoms with a nice foot worn pattern, all being sinew sewn. The set shows a prominent bifurcated tongue, also referred to as a split tongue or forked tongue. The tops, sides, back and a fancy edge at the top of the medium ankle are covered in 19th-century period correct glass trade seed beads in a classic “buffalo track” geometric pattern, with all the beads being sinew sewn. The tops of the bifurcated tongues also show sinew sewn beadwork down each split with rolled tin jingle dangle cones with green dyed horse tail hair that are sewn with trade thread, likely a late-19th-century addition. The beadwork shows colors of greasy yellow, cobalt, red white heart, chalk white and greasy medium green. Provenance: The set was found to be an authentic 19th-century set offered by Skinners many years ago; from a large private Native American collection in California. Each moccasin measures 10-inches long across the bottom of the soles by 4-inches wide by 3.5-inch high ankles. There is an old Skinner auction tag.