The object is a rectangular rawhide bag with beading overall on one side only. Although acquired as a "medicine" bag it most probably is only a bag for a man's personal belongings.The beaded geometric patterns are blue, green, red and yellow against a white background. The top of the bag has a flap that folds over. The flap has short hide fringes along the edge with a few small metal cones or jingles attached. At the bottom of the bag are long hide fringes and, at either end, remnants of a red ribbon tied into a bow. An old tag on the bag reads “Cheyenne Bag Relic of Custer Battle. Made by Cheyenne squaw her husband "Wooden Leg" fought in the battle. The back bag is cavalryman's bootleg. Front is buckskin. Fringes are buckskin. Mr. Wooden Leg................ “There is confirmation that indeed Wooden leg fought at the Battle of Little Big Horn in 1876. Verso "Mr. Denton of Billings Montana of whom it was bought Oct' 1914

Brooklyn Museum Collection

Brooklyn Museum Collection

Long bodice (collar) of dentalium shell is a pre-style form of decoration because these shells were hard to obtain. The Sioux would have traded for them. This would be for a special woman and handed down in families. The very heavy dress does not look reworked and was worn very little and probably only used for special occasions. Blue wool trade cloth, red, white, blue ribbons might indicate July 4th reference. A slit is at the back of the dress and the basic pattern is T-shaped. Four-direction designs on the bottom would be prestige decoration and the little flowers along the bottom are unusual, odd. The bells are different colors. The body of the dress is machine sewn.

Horse hair bundle in "fob" beaded end.

Brooklyn Museum Collection

Hair lock bundle with beaded fob end.

Bequest of W.S. Morton Mead

Osage name by curator Stewart Culin may not be accurate. Fan is made from the tail feathers of a winter hawk. Large hawks have 12 feathers; small hawks have 10 feathers in tail. According to Sean Standing Bear 10/20/2000 this fan is missing its center feather. The handle is woven with dyed porcupine quillwork with a row of blue and white beads along each edge.

Brooklyn Museum Collection