This is an unusual polychrome painted parfleche shoulder or bandolier bag dating to the 19th Century attributed to the Great Lakes Woodland region Native Americans from the ex-Donald Spaulding collection. The bag exhibits a thick parfleche rawhide with dark coloring being sinew sewn along with some hide lacing and covered on the front flap, straps and bottom fringe section with polychrome mineral pigment paint artwork. The front shows a classic four-point star, some times referred to by the Plains Indians as the morning star / Morningstar. For another Great Lakes region parfleche piece with morning star like designs see the Meskwaki (Fox) parfleche trunk from the Milford G Chandler collection in the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian; the piece shows a distinct four-point star bordering the outsides and bottom with similar dark parfleche hide. This example is very unusual as it has integral long cut fringes as part of the parfleche top flap, not completely unseen on Native American parfleche bags (see the Sioux 1860 Parfleche Painted Case sold by Heritage in 2017 for $2,800 and the Blackfeet Buffalo Parfleche Case sold by Hindman-Cowan?s in 2021 for $4,250). The top of the bag also has an unusual long strap or shoulder strap which also has polychrome mineral pigment paint on the front side up to the fringes. The bottom section has a sinew sewn section of long fringes which is also painted. The paint shows colors of red, blues and yellows. The hides are stiff, such as other parfleche rawhide, and do not show much major signs of cracking. A few of the fringes have fallen or broken off. The top flap can be opened but is very stiff. For another example see the Sauk and Meskwaki or Sac and Fox painted parfleche 1840 case with dark coloring and similar geometric designs sold by Bonhams in October 2022 for $10,000, noted as having a dark coloring due to smoke discoloration. Provenance: From the ex-collection of Donald Spaulding (1926-2021) noted New York artist known for his depictions of the American West, Native Americans and his illustrations of the Lone Ranger. Previously valued at over $9,500. Measures 39?H x 12?W.*

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