A striking pair of Arapaho beaded legging moccasins, dating to the 1880s, constructed from ochre-pigmented elk hide and decorated with colorful geometric beadwork.
The tall hide leggings feature rectangular beaded panels worked in blue, red, yellow, white, and dark-toned beads, creating a bold geometric design characteristic of Plains beadwork traditions. The warm ochre-toned hide retains a beautifully aged surface and patina consistent with the piece’s considerable age.
Date: 1880s
Material: Ochre-pigmented elk hide with beadwork
Height:16 inches
Provenance: Yoshi Miyake, New York
An impressive late-19th-century example of Native American beadwork and historic Plains material culture