Relics of the American West: 1850-1920
Lot 2006:
Description
This striking Plains-style beaded turtle pouch, likely a 20th-century piece, serves as a traditional talisman often used to hold a child’s umbilical cord to ensure a long and protected life. The top features intricate, multi-colored seed beadwork in a “salt and pepper” or mosaic style, meticulously hand-sewn onto a soft buckskin or sueded leather base using the “lazy stitch” or “lane stitch” technique. This specific color distribution is common in Northern Plains tribes, like the Lakota, where the “salt and pepper” motif represents the complexity of the natural world. The perimeter is finished with a delicate line of turquoise-colored beads, while the “limbs” and “tail” are accented with dark leather wraps and vibrant red horsehair tassels. Red horsehair traditionally symbolizes the life force and strength of the horse, a sacred animal in Plains culture. The piece is in excellent condition with no missing beads or significant wear to the leather backing, though some minor fraying to the orange tie-strings is visible. No glow under black light. H 1.5″, W 2.5″, D 7″. Please see photos.
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