Women's Beaded Moccasins Circa 1870's »

Kiowa

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About The Artwork

Beyond exquisite pair of women's "boot" moccasins--Kiowa, Washita River area Oklahoma, circa 1870's. Very fine beadwork accomplished with awl and sinew on buttersoft brain-tanned deerskin tops. The overall color is golden ochre with additional green pigment horizontal banding drybrushed into the leather on the exterior calves. These "stripes" add to the beaded and ornamented flap that extends 16 1/2" from the 1/2" wide beaded ankle band to a deerskin tie at the top, where extra material has been left to fold over as an attractive cuff. The edge was purposely left "natural" and slightly irregular with the longest part measuring 21 3/4" from the ankle coming to an angular squared off point at the back of the calf. These angles and points are symmetrical on each moccasin as much as nature will allow. In each 1/2" wide band of beadwork, there are from 12 to 13 beads per row. The glass beads are all 2 and 3 facet steel cuts dating from the Victorial period prior to Edward Albert. The colors are some of the best and rarest beginning with the clear cranberry. This bead's hue was produced with powdered 24K gold. The rose pink beads also required gold. There are cobalt blues, a robin's egg or sky blue and a very prized translucent deep turquoise called "exploding blue" because the lead content, contributing to their vibrant color, makes them softer and more fragile. There are also greasy yellows, jade greens and new leaf greens with the bright "quartz" white beads used as background and accent in every element of decoration. Glass beads keep their brightness against the leather, adding contrast and definition. They are as important s the rows of 1/4" and 3/8" diameter round German silver buttons sewn in two rows among the calf flaps of each moccasin. These trade buttons and the faceted steel beads used to edge the flat decoration, added an earth element quality the Kiowa desired for not just shine, but a sense of permanence. Metal was considered indestructible. There is even a single row of white beads circling the entire foot about 1/4" from where the sole is attached. This is not a seam but a pure decorative effort to further enhance the beauty of the tiny feet whose imprints can still be seen and felt in the rawhide soles that walked this earth with the wearer over 130 years ago. These boots were collected sometime in the very early 1900's by a noted Southwestern photographer. These beautiful examples of true wearable art, are presented in "condition received", in order to give the new prospective owner an opportunity to see its full "story" and decide what, if anything, should be done to replace a missing heel fringe, a total of 7 trade buttons, and possibly exchange the rusted steel beads in the flap edging for other in better condition. There are no rips or worn through spots. In the course of time, they have fared well and have much more to say (to those who listen), as they are.

About The Artist

"The Kiowa people's earliest known home was in Montana along with the Black Hills of western South Dakota. By the late 1870's, the Kiowa and Comanche were restricted to their reservation in southwestern Oklahoma, suffering further tragedies from epidemics and starvation after the disappearance of the buffalo in 1879. Prior to the early 19th century and the corresponding epidemics, their population was greater than 2,000. By the time of their surrender at Fort Sill in 1975, barely a thousand Kiowas could be counted. The present population of Kiowas live mainly in Caddo County, Oklahoma with the largest community near Carnegie. In 1992 there were almost 10,000 enrolled Kiowas, but their language was spoken by less than 400 people." Excerpted from the Encyclopedia of Native Tribes of North America by Michael Johnson

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