From museums to private collectors, Native American collectibles are some of the most desired. And, the most collectible of all is any antique Indian beadwork. Painted designs preceded the beadwork most commonly associate with Native American garments. Then, as time went on, they began to make beads out of bone, dried berries and eventually beads, which were introduced by European traders ultimately.
How Antique Indian Beadwork Came To Be
In the late 17th century, traders from Europe came to the Americas with brightly colored beads made from glass and ultimately traded them with Native Americans. Called “pony beads”, these early beads found in antique Indian beadwork were carried on horseback to Native American villages for trade. The majority of these beads were a dark blue, white or a muddy red. That is why much of the antique Indian beadwork from this period is so predominantly blue. Pony beadwork started to fade in popularity by the middle 1800s, when smaller beads with brighter colors started to be traded between Native Americans and white settlers. Nowadays, it seems that just about every type of garment of Native American collectible features a bit of beadwork on it. The needle and thread wasn’t introduced to Native American cultures for many years and actually, what they used to apply beads to Native American collectibles was called a sinew. Simply put, a sinew is a tendon that’s taken from large game and dried.
The Varities Of Antique Indian Beadwork
To be deemed authentic, there are three types of Indian beadwork to look for. These include:
The Overlaid Stitch
This type of antique Indian beadwork has many curves and flowers.
Lazy Stitching
This straight-lined style is most often associated with Native Americans from the Western United States.
Beads Woven With Looms
This particular style of beading is most likely traceable to the Ojibway peoples. As time went on, more tribes adopted it as well. Since the tribes often migrated with big game, the loom was made to be ultra portable, which only lent to its popularity. Made with just a few pieces of flat wood and a sinew, this loom looked a lot like a bow.
Its Popularity Holds Firm
Since the styles are so coveted, modern hobbyists and entrepreneurs and even Indians themselves are still creating items in the antique Indian beadwork styles as a way to make a living. If you are a collector of Native American collectibles, you know full well that it’s imperative to have many pieces of antique Indian beadwork as part of your archive.
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