Several years ago a friend of mine was able to go into the "back
room" of the Archives in Montgomery. He took several pictures of this Original brain
tanned buckskin coat. It is a work of art. It was hand made in the 1800s. In order to get
the detail of the coat the files are rather large. It may take a while to load. I hope you
enjoy!
I received this e-mail on March 19, 1998. It was misplaced before I could change what I had written above. I FOUND the e-mail tonight, August 9, 1998 and add it to the site as written.
That shirts and several other native American pieces of material were
acquired in the 1843 scientific expedition of the members of the Audubon society from the upper Missouri
River. The shirt was GIVEN to the chief trader Alexander Culbertson where these materials later ended up in the
Montgomery Museum. Have you ever seen the other shirt they have there???? And why the assumption that it belong to a chief. These
shirts were made to honor great warriors as well as Head Men of the tribe. Also the sleeves on this shirt are closed or sewn together at
the wrist area with the arms unsewn from the wrist to the arm pit. So it
is a little difficult to just throw it off the arm as you state. I do not mean to come off in a terse statement here. But as a rendezvouer
for almost 30 years and frequent researcher into Native American Materials at museums all over the country......I do like to inform the
public of what the truth is closer too. Also working on a book on the
Plains Indian Shirts from 1770 to 1910 and have done ALLOT of photo and first hand touching, feeling, holding and fondling of these shirts, that
they will let me. What a thrill to actually measure and work with these materials.
Linda Holley
Please take what I was saying to help you out. I loved the pictures.
You are
lucky to have them. Those shirts are very impressive. I was just shocked to
see them on the net.
Very few Buckskinners really know the old stuff. Most of what I see is new
1990s' idea of what Buckskinning should be. If it is made of fur, feathers, leather, or
beads on anything it seems to be ok to do or wear. But you have a great
sight. Keep it up.
I would like to put it on my link when I get my sight finished for Tipi owners.
Linda
Details of the coats dyed Porcupine
Quill decoration.
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