Sioux Beaded Dress

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Sioux dress on Native tanned hide with large beaded yoke. Beadwork is in beautiful condition, with several design elements including crosses and geometric bars, all against a bright blue field. Leather is a little brittle in places, and there are some small tears, but is in overall good condition, and makes a striking display. Fringe drops decorate the body of the dress, with three rows of beadwork at the bottom in different colors than the top, suggesting that perhaps the bottom and top were put together after its original construction, as was not uncommon. 50" long (including fringe), 45" across the sleeves.

Lot 144, Sold $7,080
Brian Lebel's Cody Old West Auction - June 26th, 2021, Santa Fe, NM.

Crow Elk Tooth Dress

Impressive Crow elk tooth woman’s dress on blue trade cloth. Red cloth yoke or collar decorated with a row of elk teeth above a row of light blue beadwork at the collar binding. Top half of the body and three-quarters down the sleeves, is decorated with elk teeth front and back. The bottom of the dress in trimmed in bands of ribbon work and various beads. Circa 1890s, 46" long.

From a Distinguished Private Colorado Collection

Lot 229, Brian Lebel's Mesa Auction - January 21, 2017
Sold $17,700

Wonderful Sioux Pictorial Beaded Jacket

Lot 257: Sioux Pictorial Beaded Jacket

Wonderful Sioux beaded and fringed jacket or scout coat. On native tanned hide, with extraordinary pictorial elements on both front and back. With fringe and beads at the seams, and fastened with U.S. military brass buttons. Wonderful pictorial beadwork includes pipes, morning stars, dragon flies, buffalo, birds, and other symbols and images. Areas of red ochre pigment along shoulders and in protected areas. Beaded in a geometric design at the color, cuffs, down the arms and along the bottom. Sinew sewn. A fine example. Circa 1890s. 

Pictured: “A Beading Heart - The Bob and Lora Sandroni Collection,” page 130.

Brian Lebel's Old West Auction - June 11, 2016
Sold $69,000

Fine Northern Plains Artifact, Ready to Dispay

Lot 161: Northern Plains Beaded Rifle Scabbard

Nicely constructed beaded rifle scabbard on native tanned hide, with classic geometric beadwork in two shades of blue, white, red and yellow. With remnants for blue cotton cloth at seam. 48" long without fringe; 7" wide at widest point. Circa 1880-90s. Includes custom wall mounts.

Brian Lebel's Old West Auction - June 11, 2016
Sold $8,850

Impressive Saddle Bags

Large and finely beaded Northern Plains/Sioux saddle bags. Red and blue bars on a white field with red and blue bordered, stepped triangles in dark green. Edges are beaded and fringed along the back of the bags. On native tanned hide. Beaded panels measure 11 1/4" x 11". These impressive bags are 80" in length overall, which includes the 16" bottom fringe. 

Lot 164: Sioux Fringed Saddle Bags

Brian Lebel's Old West Auction - June 11, 2016
Sold $10,890

An Essential Feature of Indian Regalia

Lot 58: Hunkpapa Lakota (Sioux) Pictorial Tobacco Bag

Classic Swallowtail style favored by Sitting Bull’s band of Hunkpapa Lakota. Beadwork depicts a dismounted Warbonnet Warrior engaged in battle, arrows flying toward him. Surrounded by enemy horse tracks, he wields a revolver in each hand protecting his wounded horse. The blue roan stallion on the opposite side of the bag wears a pad saddle and has two wounds on the hip, with an arrow protruding from one. His tail is tied up and bound for battle. 32” long overall x 7” wide. 

"Beaded tobacco bags were an essential feature of male regalia, holding their sacred pipe smoking regalia and often depicting their notable deeds." - Cathy A. Smith, Lakota Historian, Cowgirl Hall of Fame Honoree.

Brian Lebel's High Noon Auction - January 23, 2016
Sold $18,150

Striking Sioux Dress

Lot 187: Lakota Sioux Beaded Hide Dress

Striking Sioux dress on native tanned hide with traces of red pigment. Geometric design beadwork on the blue yoke in white-heart red, amber, blue, yellow and black. Fringe drops at beaded accents adorn both sides. The dress measures 56" at it longest length, 45" shoulder to shoulder with 3" fringe on chest, arms and the body of the dress.
Ex: Jim Strouse Collection - Golden, CO

Brian Lebel's High Noon Auction - January 23, 2016
Sold $17,250

A Distinguished Warrior

Lot 184: Blackfoot Man's Shirt

Poncho construction, Blackfoot man’s war shirt on native tanned hide. Yellow ochre pigment with tadpole designs painted in black on front and verso, with black painted sleeve stripes. Trimmed in red trade cloth at the collar front and back. Finely executed beaded panels affixed to front of the sleeves and over the shoulders, in light blue, cobalt and pumpkin colored beads. Old, round repair to the front. A striking example of a Plains man’s shirt with great "tadpole" symbolism. Circa 1875-80, 48” tall x 60” wide as mounted on custom stand (included).

Brian Lebel's High Noon Auction - January 23, 2016
Sold $109,250

BLACKFOOT MENS’ WAR SHIRTS
Of the many items a distinguished warrior owned, his war shirt was perhaps the most important. Blackfoot warriors were some of the fiercest in the Plains. As enemies to both the Crow and the Sioux – two of the most powerful Plains peoples – Blackfoot warrior culture, out of necessity, was highly developed. In creating a shirt, Blackfoot artists endeavored to advertise the prestige of the wearer. On the battlefield, or at a formal gathering, the wearer of such a shirt would have been quickly recognized as an accomplished warrior and leader – one not to be trifled with.

Beadwork and Quillwork

Lot 88 - Plains Quilled Breastplate
Wonderful breastplate constructed with quillwork instead of bone. Cotton and silk trim, studs and tin cones. Circa late 1880s.
Brian Lebel's Old West Auction, June 6th, 2015
SOLD  $9,200

Lot 81 - Sioux Horse's Neck Drape
Fully beaded horse's neck drape, with American flag and buffalo horn motif. Striking and scarce. Circa 1880s-90s.
Brian Lebel's Old West Auction, June 6th, 2015
SOLD $28,750

Nez Perce Beaded Men's Warshirt

Detail - Nez Perce Men's Warshirt with Ermine Drops and Classic Beadwork

Wonderfully decorative men's war shirt with over 30 ermine drops, beaded red trade cloth bib, and beaded panels in classic geometric patterns of rose, white, and shades of blue.  On native tanned hide, classic construction. Circa 1890s.

Brian Lebel's High Noon Auction, Jan 24, 2015
SOLD $23,000