Gilcrease Museum is temporarily closed for construction.

Get the Full Story

A leather knife sheath with beadwork decorating the outer edge / Native American; Crow

Essay/Description

A leather knife sheath with beadwork decorating the outer edge.

Most sheaths were made to match the shape of the blade, the most common blade form being curved on one end and straight on the other. The sheaths typically covered not only “the blade but also the majority of the handle,” which decreased the chance of the knife falling out or getting lost (Taylor 2001, 52). Quillwork and beadwork decorated the sheaths, and the designs used often signified the owner (Taylor 2001, 51-54).

You may be interested in...

Title(s): 
A leather knife sheath with beadwork decorating the outer edge
Culture: 
Native American; Crow
Date: 
19th century
Period: 
Historic
Place: 
Great Plains, United States of America
Materials/Techniques: 
leather, glass, cloth, sinew, pigment
Classification: 
Object Type: 
Accession No: 
84.779
Department: 
Not On View

Our Online Collections site is a work in progress. If you have information about this item that may be of assistance, please contact us.