Early Southern Plains Painted Buffalo Hide Robe, Likely Comanche

mid-19th century

tanned hide decorated with the "border and hourglass" pattern executed in red and green pigments, with an overall yellow ground; peg holes along outer edge; 18.00 indicates trader's price

length 83 x width 85 inches

cf. Timothy S.Y. Lam Museum of Anthropology, Wake Forest University (1985.E.657)
First American Art: The Charles and Valerie Diker Collection of American Indian Art (Bernstein and McMaster eds. 2004: pg. 69, Cat No. 10).

Art of American Indians: The Thaw Collection (Fognell ed. 2010: pg. 71, T0393)

Robes such as this are often associated with the Comanche or Arapaho and were worn and painted by women. The central hourglass design may be representative of a buffalo.

In a conversation with the Comanche National Museum and Cultural Center, Penateka Comanche Elder Nemaruibetsi describes the purpose and design of a similar robe identified as Comanche, held within the collections of the National Museum of the American Indian, Washington, D.C. She comments, "Upon the robe, a very brave warrior could record his brave deeds using colors of paint on his robe. The completed robe would be worn by his chief wife. It was shared that the chief wife possessed the border and center designs but the other wives had no design in the center. She voiced that the other wives or any unmarried woman could wear a robe with a border but with no war deeds" (Comanche National Museum and Cultural Center. Facebook, April 23, 2021, 1:30PM. https://www.facebook.com/ComancheMuseum/photos/a.306625358203/10157762549128204/. Accessed March 25, 2024).

Descended from the family of Uriah Updegraff (1810-1882) and Ann Covode (1818-1869), sister of "Honest John" Covode (1808-1871), Pennsylvania.

This lot is located in Cincinnati.

Descended from the family of Uriah Updegraff (1810-1882) and Ann Covode (1818-1869), sister of "Honest John" Covode (1808-1871), Pennsylvania.