Tag Archive for: native american art

Native American silver jewelry on tap at Jasper52 auction Nov. 26

Jasper52 will present an outstanding collection that showcases the beauty, versatility and tradition of fine Southwest and Native
American jewelry in an online auction on Tuesday, Nov. 26. The natural beauty of turquoise and coral is complemented by sterling silver wrought by highly skilled designers and artisans. Bid absentee or live online through LiveAuctioneers.

Sterling silver and turquoise vintage squash blossom necklace, 1970s, 25½in long, 169.8 grams. Estimate $700-$800. Jasper52 image

View the auction here.

Learn more about the auction on Auction Central News.

Sioux beadwork brightened buckskin apparel

NEW YORK – Traditionally, Native Americans have no concept of art for art’s sake. They simply reveal the innate beauty of everyday objects.

Historically, each tribe expressed itself in its own way. Members of the Great Sioux Nation, nomadic hunter-warriors who roamed the northern Great Plains, believed that beaded belongings were not only beautiful, but brought them honor.

Creating each decorative item began with a hunt. Transforming elk, buffalo or deerskin into attractive, pliable hides, however, was women’s work. Only after soaking, cleaning and rendering them satin-soft (sometimes using cooked deer or buffalo brains), did they sinew-sew them into garments or functional items.

Pair of Sioux Quilled and Beaded Hide Moccasins with natural, purple and red-dyed porcupine quills and sinew sewn red and white glass seed beads, each with narrow horizontal bands, enclosing cross motifs, across the vamp, a beaded band, enclosing interlocking triangles encircling the foot, rawhide soles, c. 1890. Length: 11¼in. each. Provenance: Valentine Pasvolsky Collection, realized $2,200 in 2013. Image courtesy of Heritage Auctions and LiveAuctioneers

For 200 years or more, Sioux women adorned these creations with materials at hand, like shells, seeds, animal teeth, talons or naturally dyed quills, their specialty. Quillwork, the forerunner of beadwork, required cleaning stiff, hollow porcupine or bird quills, softening them in saliva, trimming their barbs, then flattening them – oft by pulling them between their teeth. When woven, plaited or twisted into embroidery-like patterns, they enhanced everything from quivers and war shirts to pipe bags and pouches. These rare, early pieces are exceedingly collectible.

Sioux girl’s beaded hide dress, sinew sewn and lane-stitched in numerous shades of opaque and translucent beads, each side decorated on the bodice and skirt with intricate geometric devices, trimmed with fine fringe, silk ribbons and tubular bead pendants terminating in hawk bells. Length: 31. overall in overall very good condition, c. 1880, realized $24,000 in 2009. Image courtesy of Heritage Auctions and LiveAuctioneers

In the 1840s, white traders , arriving on horseback, introduced large, European powder-blue and chalk-white glass “pony beads.” Other shades, including black, red, and semi-transparent “greasy” yellow (think rancid butter), followed. Initially, these crude beads, worked with bone awls, home-tanned hides and sinew-thread, bordered Sioux natural or brighter aniline-dyed quillwork. Over time, however, they became integral parts of quill designs or appeared entirely alone.

Sioux beaded hide tobacco bag, sinew-sewn using bead colors of pony trader blue, greasy yellow, translucent blue and russet; shorter quilled slats in blue, orange and red; finished with long fringe; inked accession number inside throat, total length 30in., fourth quarter 19th century, realized $2,700 in 2010. Image courtesy of Cowan’s Auctions and LiveAuctioneers

A decade later, traders introduced far tinier, brighter “seed beads,” largely imported from the Austro-Hungarian Empire and Italy. Early arrivals, hand-cut from long glass tubes, were typically narrow, irregularly shaped  and sharp-edged. Later ones, produced through more advanced methods tended to be uniformly sized with rounded edges. These miniatures not only offered attractive coverage of large areas. Their numerous shades and sizes also inspired far more imaginative creations.

These designs, which typically feature thousands of beads, were usually worked in slightly arched lazy (lane) stitchery. This involved threading identical-size beads on identical-length strings, tying them off, then, with simple running stitches, attaching them in parallel rows. Though looser than traditional one-by-one, overlay beading, this method proved a real time-saver.

Sioux buckskin possible Tipi bag with rows of sinew sewn and lazy stitch beaded bands, side and top symbols and with tin cone suspensions, very good condition, 12in. x 19in., c. early 1900s, realized $2,000 in 2011. Image courtesy of Allard Auctions Inc. and LiveAuctioneers

All pre-1880s Sioux beadwork is extremely desirable – especially items featuring strips of machine-made, yellow trade cloth, once a Native American status symbol. Bead loss, quill damage, or hide stiffness, discoloration or mold, however, may affect their value.

By the 1890s, the Reservation Period, various subcultures of the Great Sioux Nation, speaking different dialects and following differing lifestyles, developed distinctive, more elaborate beading styles of their own. The Dakota Sioux, for example, favored freestanding star, flower and leaf motifs against unadorned grounds. The warlike Lakotas preferred triangle-based geometric motifs like stepped or serrated “tipis,” diamonds and hourglass forms. Eventually, through tribal trade, intermarriage and conflict, these styles merged.

Sioux beaded awl case with bone awl, 8in. plus drop, realized $425 in 2018. Image courtesy of Old Barn Auction LLC and LiveAuctioneers

Sioux design elements, when symmetrically doubled, form elaborate patterns against light grounds, with open areas featuring decorative lines or crosses. More intricate motifs, like dragonflies, horse-tracks, three-pronged forks, turtles or feathers, actually combinations of basic lines and geometrics, may embellish areas where denser patterns were desired.

Sioux designs typically feature white, periwinkle, blue, yellow, mauve and green beadwork. Because red symbolizes lifespans, virtue and good luck, this favorite often enlivens women’s saddles, moccasins and cradleboards. Bead color variations abound, however, because they were produced through diverse technologies.

Lakota Sioux beaded hide purse, early 20th century, the circular form having decorative bead work depicting a radial medicine wheel motif, executed in red, yellow, white and black beads, in a display case, display case: 12½in. high, realized $150 in 2016. Image courtesy of Clars Auction Gallery and LiveAuctioneers

Despite forceful government efforts to eradicate Indian culture at the turn of the century, Native American bead working flourished. In time, the Sioux, like other tribes, supplemented their incomes by marketing heavily beaded pieces, like men’s vests, purses and girls’ dresses, to tourists. Serious collectors, however, may prefer items that the Sioux themselves used and wore.

Native American culture remains dynamic, reflects veteran beader Kelly Murdock-Billy. “It’s uncanny how the styles of  Native American regalia and beadwork change. Every five to ten years,  powwow fancy-shawl dancers and jingle-dress dancers wear all-new beaded designs, the treasures of tomorrow.”

The Many Faces of Tribal Art in One Collection

Let’s go on an adventure to explore this newly curated collection of Tribal Art. Carved out in this collection of tribal art are masks and figures integral to traditional African ceremonies. Imbued with stylized detail and tremendous depth of meaning, handcrafted African, Native American and Pre-Columbian pieces enchant collectors worldwide.

Among the cross-continental highlights are a large Songye cat mask from the Congo, which may have been used for hunting rituals, and a Baule mother and a child carved group from the Ivory Coast. The antique piece represents the fine carving skill frequently seen in Baule art.

LEFT: Antique Songye cat mask, Democratic Republic of the Congo. Estimate: $5,000-$7,000
RIGHT: Finely carved Baule mother and child, Ivory Coast. Estimate $8,000-$9,000. Jasper52 images

A traditional Nimba figure by the Baga people of Guinea is said to symbolize ideas of beauty, comportment, righteousness, dignity, and social duty. Nimba figures like this inspired the paintings of Pablo Picasso.

Traditional Nimba figure, Baga, Guinea. Wood with metal details. Estimate $14,000-$15,000. Jasper52 image

Moving to the Western Hemisphere, a highlight in this collection is a beautiful black-on-black pottery bowl by Maria Martinez from the peak of her career. Maria Martinez (1887-1980) was a Native American artist internationally known for her pottery work, and created pieces to reflect the Pueblo people’s legacy of fine artwork and crafts.

Signed Maria Martinez black-on-black pottery bowl, 1943-54. Estimate: $900-$1,000. Jasper52 image

Navajo woven items are also highlighted in this 119-lot collection, starting with a transitional rug, circa 1890.

Transitional Navajo rug, circa 1890, 60in x 84in. Estimate $4,000-$6,000. Jasper52 image

Another large Navajo rug in this eclectic collection dates to around 1910.

Navajo rug, circa 1910, 82in x 55in. Estimate $3,000-$4,000. Jasper52 image

Given their geometric volumes, it is no wonder that African, Native American and Pre-Columbian artifacts are widely exhibited alongside modern sculptures.

View the full collection of Tribal Art presented by Jasper52 here.