[NATIVE AMERICAN] c. 1890 Southern Cheyenne Beaded & Fringed Women’s Boot Moccasins

A Pair of Southern Cheyenne Beaded and Fringed Hide Women’s Boot Moccasins. Southern Plains, circa 1890.

A richly ornamented pair of women’s boot moccasins, constructed from yellow hide with tall uppers and a deep fringe of slender hide strips descending from the upper edges. Broad fields of white glass beadwork encircle the lower legs, carrying elongated geometric devices in dark blue and red, accented with yellow and turquoise. A horizontal red band crosses these lower panels, establishing a strong visual division within the densely worked surfaces.

Above, rectangular beaded panels extend upward on the fronts, each centered by a vertical red stripe intersecting a blue, yellow, and red device. The feet introduce a related but distinct arrangement: narrow white beaded bands, punctuated by dark blue triangles, flank a green central strip, while further beadwork follows the perimeter above the separately attached soles. The repetition of colors across the legs and feet gives the pair a unified decorative character.

The concentration of beadwork around the lower leg accords with a documented feature of Cheyenne and Arapaho women’s high-top moccasins. As the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum observes, heavily beaded ankle panels could create the appearance of separate leggings worn over moccasins. Elaborate examples formed part of dress for special occasions and celebrations, bringing considerable artistic attention to garments intended to be seen in a social setting.

Here, the extensive white grounds give the colored devices exceptional clarity, while the long upper fringe introduces movement above the ordered beadwork. A handsome expression of Southern Cheyenne dress, combining substantial workmanship with a confident command of pattern and proportion.