Pueblo Buffalo Hide Shield

third quarter 19th century

concave form and painted using mineral pigments in colors of yellow, green, red, black, and white; lock of horsehair attached to front of shield; a lightly painted mountain lion and incised abstract images on verso; thick buffalo hide strap

diameter 21 inches

The ... shield depicts a violent storm in the center with lightning bolts shooting from it to the lower left and lower right. They strike the earth, while rain pours straight down between them. The funnel-shaped cloud roaring out toward the top probably represents violent winds, their force and direction indicated by the arrows crossing the yellow horizon. A hank of horsehair hangs from near the center, and two cougars are painted on the white area to either side of the storm design (Hanson 1994: 179).

Published:
Spirits in the Art (Hanson 1994: 179, plate 180)

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Danica Farnand

Vice President, Head of Department, Native American Art

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Ms. Farnand has helmed the Native American Art department since its inception at Cowan's Auctions in 2003, developing it into one of the most respected and successful departments in the category. Throughout her career, Ms. Farnand has sold over $50 million in Native Art, and has created focused and curated auctions for 19th and 20th century Native works, Jewelry, and Modern and Contemporary Native and Indigenous Arts. A distinguished expert in her field, Ms. Farnand is a respected voice in the ongoing dialogue between Native American tribal groups and the collecting community regarding culturally significant objects, serving as a board member of the Authentic Tribal Art Dealers Association (ATADA) since 2019, and spearheading the effort to return a sacred Ahayu:da wooden figure to its rightful home in the Zuni Pueblo in New Mexico in 2020. She has also been an appraiser on Antiques Roadshow since 2016. Ms. Farnand holds an M.A. in Anthropology from the University of Cincinnati and a B.A. in Art History from John Carroll University.

Erin Rust

Associate Vice President, Specialist, Native American Art

[email protected]513.666.4947

Erin Rust is a specialist in the Native American, Prehistoric & Tribal Art department at Hindman.
Ms. Rust began as a specialist in Native American Art and Artifacts at Cowan’s Auctions in 2017, with a focus on Native jewelry and Midwestern prehistoric artifacts. She has also worked on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation in Montana and on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. Ms. Rust holds a Bachelor of Arts in Graphic Design with a minor in History, concentrating in Native Studies, from Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio. Ms. Rust also appears on the top-rated PBS television program Antiques Roadshow.

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Native American Art: The Lifetime Collection of Forrest Fenn, Part I

Pueblo Buffalo Hide Shield

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