Blanket strips evolved out of a need to cover up unsightly seams which existed on buffalo robes - a necessary consequence of the brain-tanning process. Blanket strips were worn throughout the Plains, particularly in the North and Central Plains.

This strip is an unusual example. The conservative colors scheme, the immense width of the strip, along with its wide unsecured rows of beadwork and buffalo backing, suggest an earlier date. The arrangement of the rosettes and rectilinear panels, meanwhile echo design trends that were favored in the TransMontaigne and Plateau regions.

These observations are confirmed by the fact that this important and unusual artwork was found in an Idaho estate, where it had reportedly resided for generations. This presentation marks this blanket strip’s debut on the market. In the parlance of the field, this subdued but visceral artwork is “fresh to the field”.

65” long and 8.5” wide

#50973