| |
|
|
|
19TH CENTURY NATIVE TANNED BUCKSKIN
WINTER MITTENS – VERY RARE PAIRS OF FRONTIER USED MITTENS
TO DISPLAY WITH AN INDIAN WAR GROUPING:
Occasionally, pieces of frontier used equipment and
clothing come along which were fashioned with skills,
styles and materials that crossed the cultural lines
between the European and Native Americans. They
are very special not only in that they survived the
harsh environment in which they were used, but more
importantly they provide a view to the way of life and
the interaction between those people on the western
frontier during the 19Th Century.
Such is the case with these very evocative pairs of 19TH
Century Native American made brain tanned buckskin or
elkskin winter mittens.
In light of the severity of the winters across the
northern plains, mittens were favored by frontiersmen,
soldiers, and Indians alike on the northern plains. The
fingers were kept together in the pocket of the mitten
where they served to conserve body heat, as opposed to
gloves or gauntlets where the fingers were separate, and
more prone to frostbite.
I have the two
pairs of these rare mittens to offer here, both
described individually below with accompanying
photographs.
|
|
19TH CENTURY NATIVE TANNED BUCKSKIN
WINTER MITTENS – LINED WITH PATTERN 1876 US ARMY BEDDING
BLANKET MATERIAL AND DECORATED ON THE CUFFS WITH VERY
FINE BEADWORK - A VERY RARE PAIR OF SOLDIER USED MITTENS
TO DISPLAY WITH A FRONTIER INDIAN WAR GROUPING:
This is a very evocative pair of 19TH
Century Native American made brain tanned buckskin or
elkskin winter mittens, decorated with finely executed
beadwork on the cuffs, but also lined with pieces of a
US Army Pattern 1876 Bedding Blanket. The rarity of
such pieces cannot be overstated, as these
cross-cultural pieces seldom, if ever, appear on the
open market.
Two likely scenarios explain the combination of native
materials and design with the US Army blanket material
lining. Either a Native American came into possession
of a US Army blanket which was used to line these
mittens, or what I think is more likely, a soldier or
officer serving on the frontier arranged with an Indian
woman to make the mittens and provided her with the wool
material, salvaged from a damaged blanket.
This pair is full sized - measuring 13 ½” long and 9”
wide at the cuff - large enough to fit a grown male
hand. The buckskin has a mellow, smoky color and it is
soft and pliable. The hide is of substantial weight,
certainly made for use and not the lightweight tourist
grade leather you often see. The mittens are hand sewn
with cotton thread, and the seams are all. The beadwork
is tight and still firmly attached with only very minor
loss in isolated spots as would be expected from use and
age.
As stated above, these cross cultural pieces are almost
impossible to find on the open market. Rare in their
own right, such pieces are closely held by the
collectors who recognize the importance of their
historical context and are seldom offered for sale.
Given their utilitarian
nature, and the regular use they were exposed to in a
harsh environment, it’s a wonder any of this material
survived at all.
This unique pair of
frontier made mittens was well cared for through the
years since their last use, and present in very good
condition to be a great addition to display with a
soldier’s equipment grouping or along side a Sharps or
Remington Buffalo Rifle and cartridge belt. (0903)
$1850
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
19TH CENTURY NATIVE TANNED BUCKSKIN
WINTER MITTENS – DECORATED ON THE CUFFS WITH A LARGE
MILITARY STAR – A VERY NICE PAIR TO DISPLAY WITH ANY
FRONTIER INDIAN WAR GROUPING: This is a very
attractive pair of 19TH Century Native tanned
buckskin or elkskin winter mittens of the type worn by
frontiersmen, soldiers, and Indians on the northern
plains.
Suggesting use by an officer or soldier serving on the
frontier, each cuff is decorated with a buckskin star,
measuring 3” across, applied to the surface of the
cuff. The mittens are further decorated with a
strip of fringe along the bottom of each cuff, again
suggesting use by a mounted soldier or plainsman
imitating the fringe that decorated Indian clothing. In
spite of using cotton thread to assemble these mittens,
this pair might well have been made by an Indian woman
as a special order for an officer or soldier serving at
the neighboring post.
This pair is full sized - measuring 13 ½” long and 8 ¾”
wide at the cuff - large enough to fit a grown male
hand. The buckskin has a mellow, smoky color and it is
soft and pliable. The palms are darkened, evidence of
frequent use, likely on horse back or driving a wagon
caused by handling the reins. The hide is of
substantial weight, certainly made for use and not the
lightweight tourist grade leather you often see. The
cuffs are lined with lightweight buckskin to finish the
interior surface that would rub against the coat sleeve,
and provide a reinforcement to keep the cuffs from
collapsing. The mittens are hand sewn with cotton
thread. The seams and decorative stitching is all
intact save for: the lower ball of the left thumb, and
the ball of the right thumb, tip of the right mitten and
the seam along the little finger of the right hand – all
areas that would experience the most wear in use. The
edges of the leather in these areas is not deteriorated
nor torn, and these seams could be closed up if you so
desire. There is a worn hole in the palm of the right
mitten approximately ½” in diameter. The fringe on both
mittens is full length and complete with none of the
strands torn, missing or hardened.
This is a unique pair of frontier made mittens, showing
sufficient wear to testify to their regular use in a
harsh environment, but having survived in very good
condition. Given their utilitarian nature, it’s a
wonder they survived at all being the sort of thing that
was used to destruction. Well cared for through the
years since their last use, this pair of mittens will be
a great addition to display with a soldier’s equipment
grouping or along side a Sharps or Remington Buffalo
Rifle and cartridge belt. SOLD
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
