Northern Plains Beaded Buffalo Hide Pictorial Pad Saddle

fourth quarter 19th century

thread and sinew-sewn; beaded in colors of red white-heart, pony trader blue, rose, greasy yellow, plum, pink, dark blue, and white; tabs designed with horses and roosters are further embellished with large amber, white, and black beads; patterned cotton lining

length 20 inches x width 13 inches

Illustrated:
Native American Horse Gear (Sage 2012: 59, fig. 3-6).  Book Included.

[This saddle]... is a "so-called" pillow saddle (no hole in the middle) with very unusual beadwork.  Produced by the Cree or Blood/Piegan, c1870-1880, the four roundels at the corners of the buffalo-hide pillow are floral-patterned seed beads, and the four drops are pictorially-beaded images of a horse and a rooster.  Crow beads and yarn were used for the fringes.  Given the blocks or platforms upon which these animals stand, one is tempted to speculate that the beadworker was inspired by a traveling carnival that had a carousel (the time-frame would be appropriate).  This pad saddle, unlike those of pre-1850 production, seems suited to parade and other festive occasions (Sage 2012L 29).

This lot is located in Cincinnati.