Sioux Grizzly Bear Claw Necklace
Sale 1053 - Native American Art: The Lifetime Collection of Forrest Fenn, Part I
Jun 9, 2022
10:00AM ET
Live / Cincinnati
Estimate
$40,000 -
$60,000
Sold for $75,000
Sold prices are inclusive of Buyer’s Premium
Lot Description
Sioux Grizzly Bear Claw Necklace
mid-19th century
28 honey-colored claws coated with red pigment; claws are separated by polished plum pits
longest claw 4 inches; length of necklace 16 inches
Large, powerful, and ferocious, the grizzly bear, or grisly bear, as it is often was written, was something to be emulated by a warrior. A lesser-known facts is that Plains Indians regarded bears as great doctors. A person possessing bear power was the specialist to consult when one's life hung in the balance....
The Plains tribes felt it was an equal feat to kill a grizzly bear as to kill a human enemy. In fact, some tribes believed that these bears actually were humans with an altered appearance.... Instead of keeping the scalp as a trophy, men took the giant yellowish claws to commemorate a great victory (Hansen 1994: 106).
Published:
Spirits in the Arts (Hansen 1994: 106, plate 111)
Ex Mae Reed Porter (1889-1969)
Condition Report
Has been restrung.
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