A Rare Pair of Native American Southern Great Lakes Indian, Man's Flap Leggings
A Rare Pair of Native American Southern Great Lakes Indian, Man’s Flap Leggings
Of tanned deer skin painted with red ochre and black soot diagonal lines, decorated with silk ribbon fringed with beaded tassels with wool tufts, the border edged with white seed beads. Tufts of human hair locks and feathers tied with red stroud sewn into the beaded side panels
Sauk and Fox or Kickapoo tribe
Circa 1850 – 60
Size: 122 cm long – 32 ins long
Of tanned deer skin painted with red ochre and black soot diagonal lines, decorated with silk ribbon fringed with beaded tassels with wool tufts, the border edged with white seed beads. Tufts of human hair locks and feathers tied with red stroud sewn into the beaded side panels
Sauk and Fox or Kickapoo tribe
Circa 1850 – 60
Size: 122 cm long – 32 ins long
The traditional red ochre and black soot design of diagonal lines drawn on these hide leggings probably signify coups that the warrior owner had engaged and been wounded in. Red is used to represent blood, life and the earth. Black represents, death and darkness. Regalia of this type would have distinguished the wearer proclaiming his achievement and tribal standing.
Silk ribbon appliqué was popular with Southern Great Lakes tribes and the techniques of the silk ribbon appliqué and glass head embroidery used on these leggings illustrates their early date as these tight , highly organised designs later became increasingly bold and extravagant. Shiny silk trade ribbon had a luminous surface that was admired for its similarity to shell and copper and appealed as much as the lustrous quality of the European glass seed beads. It is interesting that in 1789 when the French revolutionary regime legislated for simplicity in dress, an abundance of silk ribbon that was no longer fashionable in France entered North America
Silk ribbon appliqué was popular with Southern Great Lakes tribes and the techniques of the silk ribbon appliqué and glass head embroidery used on these leggings illustrates their early date as these tight , highly organised designs later became increasingly bold and extravagant. Shiny silk trade ribbon had a luminous surface that was admired for its similarity to shell and copper and appealed as much as the lustrous quality of the European glass seed beads. It is interesting that in 1789 when the French revolutionary regime legislated for simplicity in dress, an abundance of silk ribbon that was no longer fashionable in France entered North America
A Rare Pair of Native American Southern Great Lakes Indian, Man's Flap Leggings
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