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PROPERTY FROM THE COLLECTION OF ELEANOR MILLER
A PLAINS BEADED HIDE BLANKET STRIP
PROBABLY ASSINIBOIN
Details
A PLAINS BEADED HIDE BLANKET STRIP
PROBABLY ASSINIBOIN
stitched in the overlay technique in pink, dark blue, yellow and translucent red beads against a medium blue beaded ground, with a series of five quartered roundels, alternating with rectangular panels enclosing bisected hourglass motifs, trimmed with ivory ribbon tassels
Length: 71¾ in. (182.2 cm.)
PROBABLY ASSINIBOIN
stitched in the overlay technique in pink, dark blue, yellow and translucent red beads against a medium blue beaded ground, with a series of five quartered roundels, alternating with rectangular panels enclosing bisected hourglass motifs, trimmed with ivory ribbon tassels
Length: 71¾ in. (182.2 cm.)
Further details
Blanket strips epitomize Northern Plains and Plateau Indian artistic ability and ingenuity. Originally contrived to decorate the seam formed by rejoining the margins left by excising the bulging hump area of a bison robe, the prototypical blanket strip was accomplished by embroidering bird quills and/or porcupine quills in a narrow, linear configuration directly onto the tanned hide to obscure the seam. A prevalent notion exists that Indians cut buffalo hides lengthwise in two to make them easier to handle during the tanning process, and sewed together the halves once tanning was completed. However, numerous extant robes belie this misconception. In actuality, the typical seam on a buffalo robe extended less than halfway along the center of the hide, from the base of the neck almost midway to the tail. However, the quilled strip that gave rise to the later blanket strip generally extended beyond the seam -- almost the full length of the robe, (see Harper, 1971:207).
By the early to mid-19th century on the Northern and Central Plains, and the Plateau, Indian artists were producing full-length blanket strips to decorate the woolen wearing blankets obtained in trade from Euro-Americans. The blankets began to replace buffalo robes for Indian outerwear, especially with the demise of the buffalo herds beginning soon after mid century. Blankets bearing beaded strips soon became de rigueur for best dress occasions, particularly for males. (Eventually women and children began to don the garment.) As illustrated by the paintings of Karl Bodmer, George Catlin, Paul Kane, and Carl Wimar, Indian artists beaded the entire surfaces of blanket strips, (see Harper, 1971:205, and Thomas and Ronnefeldt, 1976: 215, 220, 325, 233, 237.) Quillwork and pony beads were the media utilized to decorate blanket strips, but seed beads replaced the larger bead type later in the century. Strips typically consist of a series of rectangular hide panels interspersed with rosettes, or roundels. Contrary to the more prevalent arrangement of blanket strip segments -- having a rectangular panel at each end, some Montana and Plateau examples exhibit a rosette at one end, and a rectangular panel at the other -- as in this strip. When the blanket is worn, the strip falls like a belt around the middle of the wearer's body, and the asymmetric ends visually complete the standard configuration.
Benson L. Lanford
November 6, 2004
By the early to mid-19th century on the Northern and Central Plains, and the Plateau, Indian artists were producing full-length blanket strips to decorate the woolen wearing blankets obtained in trade from Euro-Americans. The blankets began to replace buffalo robes for Indian outerwear, especially with the demise of the buffalo herds beginning soon after mid century. Blankets bearing beaded strips soon became de rigueur for best dress occasions, particularly for males. (Eventually women and children began to don the garment.) As illustrated by the paintings of Karl Bodmer, George Catlin, Paul Kane, and Carl Wimar, Indian artists beaded the entire surfaces of blanket strips, (see Harper, 1971:205, and Thomas and Ronnefeldt, 1976: 215, 220, 325, 233, 237.) Quillwork and pony beads were the media utilized to decorate blanket strips, but seed beads replaced the larger bead type later in the century. Strips typically consist of a series of rectangular hide panels interspersed with rosettes, or roundels. Contrary to the more prevalent arrangement of blanket strip segments -- having a rectangular panel at each end, some Montana and Plateau examples exhibit a rosette at one end, and a rectangular panel at the other -- as in this strip. When the blanket is worn, the strip falls like a belt around the middle of the wearer's body, and the asymmetric ends visually complete the standard configuration.
Benson L. Lanford
November 6, 2004