A Crow Painted Hide Parfleche Envelope

composed of buffalo hide and pigments.

Very good original condition, slightly dirty.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

For a similar example, identified as circa 1860, and a discussion, cf. Torrence, 1994, pp. 242-43: "The Western Plateau tribes have a great tradition of side-fringed cases, and an exceptionally large number have been collected. Most show considerable age and some are among the earliest pieces to have survived from this region...In contrast to Plains cultures, whose cases of this type are usually associated with ceremonial life, Plateau peoples used them to store and transport a variety of religious and secular possessions. None has been collected with its contents still in tact, but informants relate that many were used to carry medicinal items."...A variety of compositional formats were created, but nearly all were delicately outlined and contained intricately drawn elements in brown/black. Narrow bands containing black hourglasses, diagonal lines, or alternating blocks of black and white were integrated into many compositions, often as bordered elements but also as part of the central design. Many also possessed a particularly striking feature: rows of sharp, highly elongated triangles projecting from the top and bottom borders of the panel, filling the open spaces between the larger design elements. These triangles, described by some writers as painted 'fringe', also appear in the designs of the Kutenai, Apache, and Comanche, but are usually not so long and slender as those drawn by Plateau artists...The central motifs of Plateau cases were constructed of some combination of triangular, diamond, hourglass, or rectilinear shapes, although some designs contained gently curving forms. The major elements were often edged with black scallops or repeated triangles..."