This historic ensemble was
originally consigned to the Lapwai auction by a great-niece of the famous Nez
Perce warrior, Joseph, and a member of the BlackEagle family, who had been
converted to Christianity and "didn't like the spirits in the
dress." The ensemble passed through several private collections in
Oregon and California and was recently acquired by River Trading Post.
The original dress, moccasins, leggings are from the early 1930's. Other
items were added over the years as the dress was passed to younger generations.
This superb ensemble consists of a native tanned deerskin dress that is
approximately 44 inches long by 48 inches wide. It has blue, white and red
glass beads decorating the sleeve tops, wings and bodice in geometric
designs. Large glass beads of the same colors hang in fringes below the
beadwork across the bodice and back. The beadwork on the front and back of
the dress approximate each other.
A pair of fully beaded low-cut
moccasins with cuffs and a pair of tie-on wrist cuffs and leggings , all fully
beaded, make up the original set.
Added in later years were fully beaded belt, headband, pendant and
hair-ties. The belt is 2 1/2" wide x 28" long. All of the
ensemble are beaded in the similar patterns of the dress. All items are
beaded on deerskin except the belt which is a beaded strip attached to heavy
commercial latigo leather. The belt is buckleless tie-on type.
Click on any image below to see
the wonderful beaded detail.
