Pictorial Lakota Beaded Coat

A fine European-cut, Lakota beaded coat on native tanned hide with horse motif. Five pair of colorful beaded horses: blue and red on front, and white, burgundy, and yellow & blue on verso. Great beading details, such as single bead eyes and colored ears. Five beaded pair of horseshoe tracks adorn the front, in shades of green, purple and blue. Heavily fringed and accented with a beaded diagonal design of yellow, red and aqua blue. Long leather drops hang from the pony tracks and the back. Wonderfully visual and unique. 29” long with fringe; circa early 20th century.

EX: Bill and Marilyn Lenox Collection.

Lot 242, Brian Lebel's Old West Auction - June 10, 2017, Fort Worth.
Sold $5,900

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