Circa 1890. Cowhide, glass beads, metal cones, and dyed tassels. Previously sold at Morphy's Auctions. 

Striking Matched Pair of Sioux Beaded Tipi (Possible) Bags, Circa 1890. 

A handsome matched pair of rectangular cowhide storage bags, their fronts extensively worked in glass beadwork against a white ground. The principal design is organized around green lozenges enclosing small white crosses, outlined in contrasting dark and light beads and linked by slender red elements. Bold red angular devices extend across the surrounding field, their outlines punctuated by small white squares. Stepped green lines, paired dark-blue triangles, and red terminals complete the composition along the sides.

Narrow beaded bands continue the ornament across the upper flaps, while exposed hide borders frame the decorated panels. Metal cones with red-dyed tassels accent the edges, adding movement to the otherwise closely ordered design. The backs remain plain, showing the cowhide construction and surviving hide ties. The broad white grounds give unusual clarity to the colored motifs, allowing the repeated forms to read distinctly across both bags.

Often called “possible bags,” containers of this type were usually made by Plains women to hold personal belongings. They served as storage within the tipi and could be carried against the sides of a saddle when a household moved. Matched pairs were particularly suited to this purpose, distributing weight on either side of a horse. Their decoration was therefore visible both within the home and during travel.

Dating to approximately 1890, this pair belongs to a period of accomplished Sioux beadwork represented by related storage bags in major museum collections. Here, the combination of densely beaded surfaces, restrained color, and carefully repeated ornament gives considerable distinction to objects made for practical use. Preserved together, the bags retain the visual relationship intended by their matching designs.