A FULLY BEADED CREEK SASH

Details

A FULLY BEADED CREEK SASH
Central strap and suspended tabs loom woven, the warp and weft composed of brown and black cotton twill, and beaded with white and translucent blue pony beads, strap consisting of twenty one columns enclosing alternating patterns of four or five square designs, the fourteen tabs below decorated with various patterns, including alternating square motifs, solid white and translucent blue tabs, and tabs composed of alternating box and X motifs, brown and black cotton twill tassels at the end of each tab, bound with pony beads in same colors of sash
107in. (271.1cm.) long

Lot Essay

Lots 556 and 557 were acquired from the family of Abner Smith, missionary, in Goshen, N.Y., during the 19th century. Form and decoration of the bandoleer bag and sash indicate an origin from the Southeastern U.S. This sash is made of loom woven blue and white pony beads. Loom woven beadwork sashes seem to have been far less common than finger woven sashes among the Creek and Seminole Indians, but documented examples are known, dating back to at least the 1830s. Compare an undocumented example in Penney, 1992, fig. 16.

Ted J. Brasser

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