Dig It - 12/12/24

Well Fellow Seekers, today we are going to look at a Kiowa/Comanche beaded pouch. This shape as well as a more restrained and simple style of beadwork is associated with earlier Kiowa/Comanche pieces. My guess is that this pouch dates somewhere between 1850 and 1880, so most likely 1860-1870s. A photograph taken between 1869 and 1874 by Will Soule at Fort Sill, Oklahoma shows “Horse Back” or “Champion Rider”, a Comanche warrior holding a bow case and quiver with a similar pouch attached.

I have been told that these pouches were used to store extra bow strings. I also had one old client who claimed to be able to distinguish between Kiowa and Comanche beadwork. While this might be possible, I was never convinced by his explanation. He only collected Comanche material. I think if he liked it, it was Comanche; and if he did not, it was Kiowa, but what do I know? One thing I do know is that the simple powerful designs worked in predominately cranberry red and “pony trader” blue beads attracted me from the very start of my study of Plains Indian beadwork. Watch your Top knot and All the Best. -Lonesome.