If any of you have very old Beaded Native leather items they are precious. Posted here is an item I inherited from my family collection. Its overall height is 13 inches and is 12 inches wide. It is made of very light weight leather, perhaps Buck skin. There are skin frays across bottom edge. It is bordered with red felt. The felt is frayed along and near the top edge. It has light bead work. The beads are mostly known as Pony Beads, that are light blue and white. It has some Leather thongs on the top to close up the top, and is painted red and blue. This item is called a parfleche . Some will refer to it as a mail pouch; it truly is a Native pouch. I believe it was made in the late 1800s to very 1900s. Parfleches come in other sizes and shapes. This Artifact is very fragile, and I very rarely take it out of my house. This is the first time I have taken it out of the frame for the picture. It is a precious addition to my collection. If anyone has any further information on this piece, Please post as I know not where it is from, I suppose it’s from the West. Picture 1 & 2 are mine. #s 3 &4 are other examples from the web. Enjoy Kim
Comment