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Crow Split Horn Quillwork & Beadwork War Bonnet

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles Start Price:4,000.00 USD Estimated At:8,000.00 - 10,000.00 USD
Crow Split Horn Quillwork & Beadwork War Bonnet
The lot features a split horn ermine hide war bonnet attributed to the Crow and said to be from the ex-collection of the Dakota Frontier Museum display in Mitchell, South Dakota. The headdress or war bonnet is comprised of Indian brain-tanned Buffalo / Bison hide cap with hundreds of white ermine hides and tails attached to the top. There are two split and polished horns with old dyed horsetail hair tips with strips of porcupine quill work attached having sinew wrapping. The brown band is comprised of strips of tanned with artful porcupine quill quillwork done in cross motifs and glass trade pony wound glass pound beads in greasy blue. The quillwork is done in natural white / cream, yellow ocher mineral and natural dark brown. The war bonnet has some newer trade thread sewing as well as sinew sewing, likely retouched and refurbished / preserved or altered over time. There are five strips of long brown horse tail hair attached and rooster feathers on the cap with two old tarnished brass hawk bells attached and ermine hides hanging. The ermine hides have a dark coloring and the hide below has a bright coloring. Provenance: Said to be collected from the Apsaalooke Mountain Crow and was part of the Dakota Frontier Museum display in Mitchell, South Dakota sold in a de-accession sale in the 1990’s and purchased by Ted Levy. Measures overall 43”L with horsehair by about 12”W. Very soft hide, soft ermines with some tearing, little to no bead or quill loss. Similar to the Blackfoot Split Buffalo Horn War Bonnet from the Lowell Baier and Allard collection which our company sold in January 2023. Please review the pictures and piece for your own opinion and representation of age.