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Details
A SEMINOLE BEADED SASH
central panel woven in numerous shades of opaque and translucent beads in an overall pattern of concentric diamonds, each end decorated with five narrow pendants, heddle-woven in deep red and indigo blue wool yarn accented with white beads and terminating in large tassels of red wool
Length: 155 in. (394 cm.)
central panel woven in numerous shades of opaque and translucent beads in an overall pattern of concentric diamonds, each end decorated with five narrow pendants, heddle-woven in deep red and indigo blue wool yarn accented with white beads and terminating in large tassels of red wool
Length: 155 in. (394 cm.)
Provenance
See lot 109.
Further details
Historic examples of Southeastern beadwork are remarkably uncommon, and the object types few in number. All three basic sash types from the region have either long fringes or extremely narrow woven yarn tabs ending in tassels. With its central panel of woven beadwork, this sash exemplifies the most infrequent variety. The maker wove the panel utilizing an unusual, distinctively Seminole beadwork technique. Rather than the usual single bead between warp threads, the number of beads varies between warps throughout.
Sashes of this variety were worn in a number of ways, as can be seen in several portraits of Seminole Indians in The McKenney-Hall Portrait Gallery of American Indians. Generally they were arranged diagonally across the wearer's body, bandolier fashion, with the fringes either tied at one side and left to hang, or wrapped about the waist and tied. A virtually identical example of a sash of this type is displayed on a Seminole manikin in the public galleries of the National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC. Likewise, garters on a Seminole manequin in the Denver Museum of Natural History exhibit a similar diamond pattern and the identical woven beadwork technique.
Benson L. Lanford
March 1, 2002
Sashes of this variety were worn in a number of ways, as can be seen in several portraits of Seminole Indians in The McKenney-Hall Portrait Gallery of American Indians. Generally they were arranged diagonally across the wearer's body, bandolier fashion, with the fringes either tied at one side and left to hang, or wrapped about the waist and tied. A virtually identical example of a sash of this type is displayed on a Seminole manikin in the public galleries of the National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC. Likewise, garters on a Seminole manequin in the Denver Museum of Natural History exhibit a similar diamond pattern and the identical woven beadwork technique.
Benson L. Lanford
March 1, 2002