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Plains Indian Buffalo Skinning Knife & Sheath

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles Start Price:25.00 USD Estimated At:500.00 - 1,000.00 USD
Plains Indian Buffalo Skinning Knife & Sheath
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The lot features a unique 19th Century Great American Bison Buffalo sheath and older Buffalo Skinner knife from the Plains Native American Indians. The sheath shows a Buffalo hide construction with the top area being smoked and hardened like rawhide or parfleche and having a rich patina and coloring on the inside and the bottom area being more supple due to many years of use and wear. The sheath shows nine solid copper or brass tacks being nearly ½ inch across each and framing the outer edge. The knife shows a sheet iron construction with small bowie knife drop point and tapered blade being adjoined to a rough piece of wood that is held together with an early stretched piece of parfleche rawhide that is sewn with heavy trade thread. The piece would have been used as a skinner on Buffalo hides due to its small size, easier to palm. This is truly a unique set with an unusual sheet iron blade and primitive construction that displays well. Provenance: From the private museum collection of early Native American weapons and artifacts in Paris, France. The knife measures 7" with a 3" blade and is 1.75" wide. The sheath measures 2.75" x 8.5".