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SET OF 4 MATCHED 19TH CENTURY PLAINS QUILLED PENDANTS AS USED ON TIPI COVERS, BACKRESTS, AND OTHER FURNISHINGS – A RARE OFFERING:  This is an excellent set of four (4) matching Porcupine Quillwork Pendants are typical of the sort of ornaments used by the Plains Tribes to decorate their lodge (tipi) covers in rows down the front and/or back, along the smoke flaps, or on such fixtures used inside the lodge such as the willow backrests.  

While probably quite common during the period of use, almost an ubiquitous decoration for the lodges, the fragile nature of quillwork, especially in that the pendants were exposed to the elements, and that they were never intended to be durable or last through the years, this sort of quilled decoration is almost never seen on the market.  Ornaments such as these simply did not survive in large numbers, and that these four matching pendants have remained together as a set is truly remarkable.  These are indeed a rare offering.   

The four pendants, measuring 8” long (total length with cones and feathers) and ½” wide, are decorated with faded red porcupine quillwork.  The quills are wrapped around the width of the 4 ¾” long rawhide slats which form the base of the pendants, with a line of sinew stitching down the center of each slat to further secure the quills in place.  All of the quillwork is intact with no broken or missing quills – a condition feature of old quillwork which is almost never found.  Each pendant has a native tanned buckskin thong for attachment, each knotted through a square of dark green cloth.  The lower end of each pendant is decorated with a pair of hand formed tin cones – attached with a doubled native tanned buckskin thong – and the cones each hold body feathers which were dyed red.  The colors are vivid, with some fading or darkening appropriately commensurate with the age of the pendants.  

The potential for displaying this set as is, or using them to add to or restore another artifact is almost endless.  This is a rare opportunity to acquire a matched set of original 19TH Century quilled pendants which have survived in wonderful condition.  (0921)  $1100

 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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