Plains Tacked Telescope and Case

fourth quarter 19th century

crafted from harness leather, with tacked strap

overall length 27-3/4 inches

Joseph Henry Sharp painted a portrait of Bill Jones, a fullblood Gros Ventre army scout who wore a virtually identical telescope case with tacked strap around his neck. Sharp wrote that when Jones came into his studio and saw the finished portrait, he demanded five dollars because he couldn't sleep. Sharp asked why, and the Indian replied, "You painted me with my eyes open. How do you expect me to sleep with my eyes open?" (Hanson 1994: 28)

Published:
Spirits in the Art (Hanson 1994: 28, plate 27)

Scattered missing tacks; leather is still pliable

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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.

The Lifetime Collection of Forrest Fenn, Part II

Plains Tacked Telescope and Case

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