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ORIGINAL NORTHERN PLAINS SINEW SEWN BEADED BLANKET
STRIP CONVERTED TO A WAIST BELT – SHOWS EVIDENCE OF
HAVING BEEN USED TO CARRY A PISTOL HOLSTER OR KNIFE
SHEATH – US ARMY INFANTRY BUTTON CLOSURE – A WONDERFUL
UNIQUE OLD FRONTIER PIECE:
Originally made by one of
the Northern Plains tribes, quite possibly the Lakota,
this sinew sewn, beaded blanket strip was converted to a
very attractive waist belt. Perhaps salvaged from a
damaged buffalo hide or blanket, and trimmed to the
length necessary for the wearer, a US Army Infantry
uniform button was attached to one end and two
corresponding slots were cut into the other end,
allowing for some adjustment. These two slots both show
signs of wear, evidence that this belt was regularly
worn and was not just some affectation that sat on a
display shelf.
Whether this belt was made for an Indian warrior or was
configured by an officer or enlisted man at a frontier
fort, it is a classic artifact of the Old West.
Featuring a
pleasing pattern, the belt measures 34” long, the strip
body is 3 ¼” wide and the rosettes are 4 ¾” in
diameter. The beadwork in very skillfully executed with
sinew on brain tanned buckskin in ¼” wide lanes with
very early beads – much smaller beads than are normally
found on these blanket strips. There are areas -
particularly at the ends - that have experienced minimal
bead loss as can be seen in the photographs; however
they do not appreciably impact the overall presentation
of this unique piece, and instead testify that this
strip did indeed see regular use as a pistol or knife
belt. The buckskin shows all the desirable indicators
of age, however it is still fully supple with no
hardened spots or significant wear, and it would display
very well.
The belt has a
definitive “pinch point” on the upper edge just to the
inside of the right hand rosette (note arrow pointer in
photograph below) where a holstered pistol or heavy
knife sheath was carried on the belt – again, on a
regular basis in order to create this sort of
indentation.
Combined with a large
looped or beaded pistol holster, or a beaded knife
sheath, this beautiful belt would make for a dramatic
and very unusual display. These sorts of frontier
era modified pieces are unique, one-of-a-kind treasures
of that storied era of American history, and like so
many other special relics of that period, pieces of this
caliber seldom appear on the open market.
SOLD
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