[NATIVE AMERICAN] c. 1890 Sioux Moccasins with Multicolored Geometric Beadwork

A Pair of Sioux Beaded Hide Moccasins. Northern Plains, circa 1890.

A vividly ornamented pair of Sioux moccasins, their hide uppers extensively worked with white, green, red, yellow, and dark blue glass beads. Broad green passages frame elongated white areas over the insteps, while stepped triangular devices in red, yellow, and blue enliven the toes and sides. Small red accents punctuate the surrounding white beadwork, carrying the decorative rhythm around the lower edges.

The densely worked surfaces create a strong contrast with the exposed brown hide of the cuffs. Alternating bands of color sharpen the angular motifs, while the green fields give the composition a distinctive freshness and intensity. The separately attached soles remain undecorated, revealing the practical construction beneath the elaborate upper surfaces.

The pair belongs to the established tradition of Sioux beaded footwear represented in late nineteenth-century museum collections. The present moccasins show some deterioration, particularly to the cuffs and exposed hide, with tears, losses, and distortion visible in the photographs. Despite this condition, the surviving beadwork preserves a vigorous arrangement of color and geometry, offering a compelling record of the maker’s decorative skill.